More Than Just Friends
by svenjen
Summary: Rated T/M. When a delinquent rich boy meets a beautiful orphan on the run, his life changes dramatically as they become more than just friends. Based on the 1971 British movie "Friends." A/U and they will be OOC.
1. Chapter 1

**More Than Just Friends **

When a delinquent rich boy meets a beautiful orphan on the run, his life changes dramatically when they become more than just friends. Based on the 1971 British movie "Friends."

**A/N:** Please note: To follow the plot, the characters will be OOC. This will be a T rating, with a little M mixed in for good measure!

**Disclaimer: **This story will follow a similar plot line to the movie, Friends, while using the Gossip Girl characters Chuck and Blair. I do not own Gossip Girl or the story Friends in any way, shape or form. But I am borrowing both to make what I hope will be an interesting tale. This piece was created for entertainment purposes only.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**Chapter 1**

Blair Waldorf silently made her way across the cemetery carrying her backpack and a bouquet of carnations. She searched between the marble headstones until the dark letters of 'Waldorf' finally presented themselves.

She placed her bag down behind the stone and sat beside the freshly laid sod of the grave. It had only been a week since the state had buried her mother in the cemetery where her father had been laid to rest several years earlier. In that week, her entire world had been flipped upside down.

She placed the bouquet at the top of the grave and began to weep. "They're making me leave," she cried to her deceased parents. "They're making me move back to New York. I….., I have to live with my cousin Michelle, they're telling me. I don't know her, Momma!" she cried. "I don't know anyone in New York anymore!"

She put her head down and let her tears fall onto the grass of the grave. "I don't want to leave you," she cried. "And I don't want to go to New York."

But Blair knew she didn't have a choice. The only living relative that Child Welfare had found for the fifteen-year-old girl, was a twenty three year old cousin who lived in Brooklyn, New York. They had arranged her stay with that cousin, bought her a bus ticket and given her enough pocket money for cab fare and a few meals.

Most of the other belongings in Blair's apartment had to be sent to an auction house to raise money for her mother's burial expenses. Besides the cousin in Brooklyn, her backpack, and the clothes on her back, Blair Waldorf had nothing. She was an orphan and was all alone in the world.

When she had finally cried herself out she got up off the grave, dusted the dirt off of her knees and dress, and wiped her eyes. She picked up her backpack and made her way back toward the main road to find a phone booth to call a cab. She was supposed to be on a bus and in New York before night fell.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

Chuck Bass looked around a second time to make sure there was nobody watching him. When he determined the coast was clear, he slid the screwdriver next to the lock and expertly popped it open. With a grin on his face he quickly slid into the driver seat and began the process of hotwiring the car. A few seconds later he drove the stolen vehicle away. He laughed out loud; he had another afternoon of fun awaiting him and another toy at his disposal for the day.

At a traffic light he reached into the pocket of his school blazer and took out a neatly rolled joint. He lit up, taking a deep drag before proceeding through the intersection. He noted happily that the gas tank was full. He wouldn't have to switch vehicles today. That was an added bonus.

He cruised through the busy New York streets for most of the afternoon, finally stopping a few blocks away from Central Park later on. He made his way through the park, stopping to chase the ducks back into the water of the pond near his building, just as he did every day.

He saluted the concierge as he hit the elevator button to go up to his father's penthouse. If he were correct, Bart would be back from Thailand today. He hadn't seen his father in over a month.

"Charles, is that you?" Bart called when he heard the elevator open.

"Father, you're home!" Chuck called happily as he went to greet the man in the office just off of the foyer. But once Chuck saw the look on his father's face, his smile dropped immediately.

"What have you been up to?" Bart asked sternly.

"Uh, not much," Chuck answered flatly.

"So it seems!" Bart replied crossly. "I have received several notices that you haven't been attending school again," he stated. "We've been over this before, you have to go to school!"

Chuck rolled his eyes and plopped down on an oversized chair. "It's spring break," he argued. "Besides, I hate it," he grumbled as he shut his eyes. "It's boring as hell!"

"You're not quite sixteen years old yet!" Bart snapped. He raised his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose, a habit both he and his son shared when they were frustrated with something.

Then the older man sighed. "I blame myself," he admitted sadly as he shook his head. "When I'm away there's nobody except the maids to make you get out of bed in the morning. Well all that is about to change," he announced.

"What's going to change?" Chuck asked with concern. Coming from his father, the word 'change' was not a good thing.

"What do you think about me marrying again?" Bart asked his son.

"You're…., you're getting married again?" Chuck asked in disbelief.

"Yes," he replied merrily. "I've asked Lily Van der Woodsen to marry me and she said yes. She and her children will be moving in at the end of spring break. Lily will be at home most of the time and you'll have a new brother and sister to go to school with. A family is just likely what you need!"

Chuck groaned. This was not good news. Although he didn't know the younger boy- Eric, Chuck had been in several classes with the Van der Woodsen girl and found her to be flighty and as dumb as a post. She was like the bimbos he often fucked and then dumped, a pretty package to be used and then disposed of once the present was got.

Bart frowned. "Well, get used to the idea!" he snapped. "Things will be changing around here as soon as they move in, whether or not you like the idea. So get used to it."

And with that Bart picked up a document he'd been reading earlier and ignored his son. Once again Chuck had been dismissed.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

"So you're Blair," The mousey haired woman stated when she saw her standing alone at the bus depot. "I guess I'm your cousin and you're coming to live with me," she commented dryly.

She began to walk away and Blair picked up her backpack and hurried along behind her without a word. She slipped into the cab next to the woman, laying her backpack at her feet. She stared out the window, overwhelmed by how large and congested the city was.

After about twenty minutes the cab pulled up next to the curb of a run down looking tenement complex.

"Do you have the money to pay the driver?" her cousin asked.

Blair nodded and handed the man over almost all that was left of her money. She followed her cousin into a large building and walked up the five flights of stairs until they came to her apartment. "We're having a party," she announced to Blair when she saw the girl raise her eyebrows at the noise coming from behind the apartment door.

Blair nodded and entered the suite somewhat apprehensively. She was exhausted after an emotionally draining day and the long bus ride she'd had all afternoon. She simply just wanted a bath and to go to bed. A party was the last thing she needed!

Regardless about how she felt however, a party was what she got. She was shocked to see the thirty plus people hanging out in the tiny living room and kitchen, most of whom were already drunk beyond belief.

When Michelle stepped into the room with Blair, somebody turned down the stereo and everyone was quiet. "This is my cousin Blair. She's going to be staying here for awhile," she announced.

Various people mumbled hello to Blair as she followed her cousin through the living room and down a narrow hallway. Once they were out of sight, the music blasted again.

"You'll have to sleep in the storage room," the girl explained as she pushed her way inside the dark room and pulled the string of an overhanging light bulb. "There's a cot and a shelf in here that you can put your clothes on. It's not much, but it's all I can offer you," she said.

"Thank you," Blair replied simply, not wanting to show her disappointment in the shabby room.

Michele nodded and turned to leave, closing the door behind her to return to her party.

Blair put her backpack down on the shelf and opened it up, taking out the picture of her and her parents. She closed the suitcase, lifted her dress off over her head and placed it on the top shelf. She picked up the picture and held it to her heart as the tears began to fall. She lay down on the tiny cot and bawled herself to sleep, despite the noise coming from the party.

She awoke the next morning to a yelling match between her cousin and her cousin's slimy boyfriend. Sleepily she got up and slipped on the same dress she'd worn the day before. She only had a few clothes and somehow knew it was unlikely that she'd have an opportunity to wash them often. She took her toiletries bag and poked her head out of her closet to look for a bathroom in the hall. She noted happily that it was next to her 'room.' She made her way into the filthy bathroom, used the toilet, and began to wash herself. She couldn't believe anyone could live this dirty! Her and her mother may have been poor, but at least they'd been clean!

When she'd finished in the bathroom, Blair headed into the living room to see what was happening. Her cousin and the boyfriend continued to argue until she walked into the room.

Blair stared in disbelief. The place was a shambles! Empty beer and liquor bottles, dirty glasses and overflowing ashtrays covered the counters in the kitchen, and the coffee and end tables in the living room. There was a large semi-evaporated puddle of what appeared to be wine, spread into a large circle on the dirty and sticky laminate flooring. And most startling of all was that several people appeared to be sleeping on the floor and couch in the tiny room, despite the noisy fighting going on around them.

"What are you staring at?" Dave- the boyfriend, asked with a glare.

"Um, I…., I just woke up?" Blair replied with a blush. "I heard yelling."

Michelle turned around and looked at her cousin. "We're just talking," she defended. "There are cleaning supplies under the sink. Make yourself useful!"

Blair hurried into the kitchen and began gathering bottles up, thinking that was the best place to start cleaning. She wasn't resentful that she'd been put to work, she was used to it. Besides, it was better to be busy, than to be bored!

"Don't throw those away," barked Dave. "We need the money."

Blair spotted a box under what looked like a kitchen table and began to fill it up as Michelle and Dave continued to argue. Finally she heard the door slam and her cousin burst into tears and ran down the hall into her bedroom.

Blair worked for the rest of the morning until the place was a clean as she could get it. Her cousin didn't come out of the bedroom even once. One by one, the passed out partygoers awoke and headed home. Finally the place was empty.

Blair sighed, not knowing what to do with herself. She hastily made herself a peanut butter sandwich which she tossed into a baggie and drank a glass of water. She spotted some paper sticking out on top of the fridge and scribbled a quick note to her cousin explaining she was going to go out for the afternoon. She put what was left of her money and her sandwich in her little purse and headed out, not really caring where she was going.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

Chuck left the house before his father woke up later that next morning. It was a beautiful March day and he really wanted to do something different today. After driving around for a while he decided to go to the zoo. It wasn't a place he normally cared to visit, but for some reason today, he just felt like going.

He made his way around the exhibits and stared at the animals on display. He was bored. He decided to go and buy some lunch and then headed over to a lovely pond with a fountain, where he sat and ate while he looked at a pair of swans gliding effortlessly across the water.

It was here that he saw her. Clad in a simple, but elegant red and white dress, the girl had gorgeous chestnut curls, a delicate, yet curvy frame and ruby red lips. She was probably the most beautiful girl Chuck had ever seen. He watched as she sat on the bank of the pond and tore the crusts off of a sandwich.

Blair softly beckoned to the swans, showing them the crusts of her bread. The pair soon made their way close to her, stretching their long necks out to take her meager offerings. She smiled, offering more and more until she had nothing left to eat herself.

She didn't notice the good-looking boy from across the pond staring at her as she fed the birds. Once finished she tilted her head back to the sun and sighed as she let its warmth envelope her.

"Aren't you hungry?" a voice asked from behind her. "You can have some of mine if you'd like."

Blair turned round and saw Chuck holding out a container of fries in her direction.

He came closer and plopped down on the grass next to her, holding out the fries again. "I saw you giving your sandwich to the birds and thought you might still be hungry. I have lots of fries if you don't mind sharing," he said somewhat nervously.

Blair usually didn't talk to strangers, but this boy had a kind face and frankly, everyone in this city was a stranger. She smiled at him and reached for a few fries. "Thank-you," she replied shyly.

Chuck smiled back. "I'm Chuck Bass," he smarmed, expecting her to get excited about his presence. Everyone in New York knew who he was.

That was, everyone except her. "Oh, well I'm Blair Waldorf," she replied hesitantly. "It's nice to meet you Chuck."

He frowned for a moment, scarcely believing this girl didn't seem to know, or care who he was.

"Have you never heard of me?" he asked with disbelief.

She shook her head. "No. Are you somebody?" she asked with confusion. Other than fairly good looking and well dressed, Chuck didn't seem to be anything special to her.

He grinned. It wasn't often that he met someone who immediately didn't know who he was. "My father is well known in the city," he replied.

"I'm new here, she said with a frown. "I just moved her to live with my cousin in Brooklyn."

"Brooklyn, gross!" he commented. "Why would you ever want to move there?"

She looked down at her lap and frowned. "My mother died last week," she answered sadly. "My cousin is the only family I have left."

"I don't have a mother either," he confessed as he looked at her tiny hands, folded in her lap. For some strange reason he wanted to take them in his own. "But don't you have a father?"

She looked up at him with tear filled eyes and shook her head. "He died when I was just little."

"I'm…, I'm sorry," he replied awkwardly. He didn't know what else to say. He watched as a single tear slipped down her cheek and couldn't help but catch it with his finger before it splashed down onto her pretty dress. He turned red realizing he'd just touched her. For some reason he just knew she wasn't his usual type of girl.

Blair looked up at him again and she wiped her eyes. "Sorry," she said. "I know I shouldn't cry in public. It makes people uncomfortable."

"No, I'm sorry," he apologized as he stood up. "I…., I shouldn't have touched you. You don't know me."

She managed a grin and held out her hand for him to help her up. "Sure I do. You're Chuck Bass."

Chuck burst into laughter and he took her hand, pulling her up to her feet. "Care to join me for a walk?" he asked. Blair nodded her head and hung her purse on her shoulder. "That would be lovely," she replied.

The two kids chatted and walked about the zoo for the rest of the afternoon. Chuck showed her where a few of his favorite animals were and tried to get to know Blair a little better. He was pleased to learn she was very intelligent, not like most of the pretty girls he'd met over the years. And she seemed to sincerely like him, a rare occurrence itself!

At the end of the day he offered her a ride home and drove her into Brooklyn where he dropped her off a horrible looking apartment block.

"Maybe I'll see you again, Chuck Bass," she said as he escorted her to her door.

"You should give me your number," he suggested nervously.

"I…, I don't have a cell phone," she replied.

"Then I'll just have to find you again," he said sadly, knowing he wasn't likely to ever see her again.

She smiled. "I'd like that," she said as she turned to head inside the building.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

**A/N:** So, if there is enough interest in this story for me to continue, I will. Please let me know if you are interested.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**A/N: **So it seems that there is plenty of interest to continue the story. So… here goes….

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

For the next couple of days, Blair tried to get to know her way around the neighborhood she was forced to live in. But she found the area so crowded and noisy it was disturbing to her. Her cousin suggested that she make her way to a place called Central Park. It was a ride on the train to get to, and then over the bridge, but the park was free and was the best place in the city to get away from the noise, she told her.

One afternoon she decided to go there. She grabbed her purse and a couple of transit tickets her cousin had purchased for her with a voucher from Child Welfare, and she headed out.

She spent the afternoon discovering the park, loving the beautiful flowers that were already growing in the spring sunshine. She found a large pond and sat contentedly for an hour on a bench watching the ducks and geese glide across the still water. She was just about to leave when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"How did you find out where I live" Chuck asked smugly. He didn't know whether to be flattered or concerned that she'd found out where he lived.

But Blair was shocked to see him. "Chuck!" she squealed with delight when the shock wore off. "I really had no idea you lived around here. My cousin suggested I come to this park this afternoon because it's quiet and I've been complaining about the noise in Brooklyn every day."

He frowned, wondering if she was lying to him. She wouldn't be the first girl (by far) to stalk him.

"It…, it was nice to see you again, although briefly," she said, concerned over his sour look and tone of voice. She looked at her watch. "But I need to get back before it gets dark." She stood and then turned her back to follow along a little path that would take her close to the bus that eventually went to Brooklyn.

Chuck watched her go and shook his head. He'd been concerned that he'd never get a chance to see her again and that had him out of sorts all week. He'd gone back to the zoo, but she wasn't there. He'd 'borrowed' a few cars and driven over to Brooklyn past her building a few times as well, but didn't see her. But now that he found her near his building in Manhattan, he was unsure. Maybe she was like all the other girls. It was just too weird to be a coincidence. Maybe he should put the girl out of his mind, he thought.

But that, Chuck discovered, was nearly impossible. As his new family moved in and everyone began preparing for the upcoming wedding, Chuck sought out every possible means of escape. And escape during the day wasn't too difficult, but at night as he lay in his bed, his mind immediately drifted to the delightful brunette that may or may not be stalking him.

With school back in full swing and a tattletale of a new stepsister living in the same house as him, Chuck found that he had to go actually go to school. Serena reported to Bart and Lily every night on whether Chuck had been in school or not. And it was pissing him off. When Bart announced he had to fly to Europe on business about a week after they'd moved in, Chuck decided he'd about had enough of things. He was already sick of school again as well as his new family life. The moment Bart was gone, Chuck stole another vehicle and cut class.

He was cruising along the streets in Brooklyn when he saw a familiar dress at a bus stop. Pulling up to the curb, he called out her name.

Blair turned and grinned from ear to ear upon seeing her friend. She walked over to the car, a convertible, and leaned in. "Nice car," she commented.

"Thanks. Want a lift?" he asked her, beckoning she get into the seat next to him.

She nodded and got in, doing her seatbelt up as they made their way through the crowded streets.

"Why aren't you in school?" he asked her accusingly.

"I do home schooling by correspondence," she admitted and then looked at him. "I was just at the Child Welfare office filling out some forms for my social worker. What about you?"

Chuck thought for a moment. He'd never known anyone who'd ever had a social worker before. He laughed. "I just really hate school and I'm skipping," he confessed.

Blair laughed. "You are a bad boy, aren't you, Chuck Bass?" she teased.

He looked over at her and grinned. "Don't you know it!" He was surprised to feel as happy as he was to see her again after he'd found her in the park by his house that day. "I haven't seen you in awhile," he stated. "I…, I kind of missed you."

Blair smiled. "Well, I've been back to Central Park a couple of times, but stayed at the other end of the park. You seemed upset that I was there the last time I saw you," she confessed. "I…, I didn't want you to think I was trying to bother you."

Chuck blushed. "I just found it was a little strange that you'd end up practically across the street from my building," Chuck commented. "Sometimes I've had girls stalk me."

"For what?" Blair asked in disbelief. She found that hard to believe and was embarrassed that Chuck assumed she'd been stalking him.

"Well, I'm rich and known to be quite a lady's man," he confessed proudly.

Blair looked at him and started to laugh. "Really?" she asked.

Chuck frowned, disappointed that she didn't believe him. "Yes, really!"

"Oh," Blair replied, trying to be serious, but was unable to hold back her laughter.

Chuck pulled the car over to a curb and put it in park. He turned and looked at her and started laughing himself. He couldn't help it. Her laughter was just too contagious. "Why do you find that so hard to believe?" he finally asked when they stopped laughing.

"I…, I'm sorry, Chuck. I admit you're kind of cute. But I find it hard to believe you have a hoard of girls always after you." She bit her lower lip and looked at her hands, which were now folded neatly onto her lap.

He'd never wanted to kiss anyone as much as he did her, right then. But he just knew, that with her it would be a mistake. He sighed instead and picked up one of her hands and held it to his mouth, placing a little kiss on the back of it.

Both of them felt the electricity immediately flow through their connection and Blair quickly pulled her hand back. She looked back to her lap. "I should get home," she stated shakily. "Would you be so kind as to drop me off?"

Chuck nodded and began to drive back to her neighborhood. He pulled up to the curb next to her complex. "Can you meet me in the park tomorrow?" he asked shyly. "At the duck pond?"

"As long as you don't think I'm stalking you," she replied smugly.

He smirked. "One o'clock?"

Blair grinned back at him. One o'clock," she replied as she flipped her hair and headed into the building.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

The next afternoon, Chuck waited impatiently at the pond near his house. Lily had sent him to school that morning and he'd ditched before the bell even rang. He didn't want his stepmother to catch him in the park.

Luckily, Blair soon appeared, wearing a backpack. Maybe she's planned us a picnic, he thought happily. He leapt up off the bench he'd been sitting and hastily grabbed her hand. "Let's go," he said as he began to run through the park to a place he'd parked another car that morning.

Blair was confused at why he had another different car today. It was another convertible and this one was obviously expensive! But she had other things on her mind and wasn't in the mood to ask him about it. She threw her backpack into the back seat and got in beside him.

They finally made their way out of the city and stopped on a quiet lane out in the country. Chuck unhooked the wires and shut the ignition off.

"These cars have all been stolen!" Blair said as the realization occurred to her. "You're a car thief?"

He cringed at that and shook his head. "Not really," he replied in defense. "More like I borrow them and then return them when I'm done using them," he confessed. "I don't think most people even realize they've been missing."

"It's still wrong, Chuck! What if you get caught?"

Chuck shrugged. He knew part of what he'd been doing was for attention. "Then I get a juvy record and my dad yells at me some more," he replied.

Blair shook her head. She'd had a shitty morning and really didn't think her day could have gotten any worse than it had been. In fact, she nearly had decided not to go and see Chuck, but changed her mind at the last minute.

The look on her face concerned him. There was more going on then just him stealing cars. Something just felt off. He unbuckled his seat and scooted closer to her. "Hey what's wrong?" he asked as he slid his arm around her shoulders.

She looked up and had tears in her eyes. "I…, I have to leave," she answered shakily.

"Oh, I thought we were going to spend the afternoon together," he said in disappointment.

"I meant I have to leave the state, Chuck. My cousin's boyfriend made a grab for me when I got out of the shower this morning. I…., I kicked him in between the legs and told him I was calling the police," she confessed with embarrassment. "I can't go back there."

"Did you?" he asked in alarm. "Did you call the cops on the bastard?" the thought of any guy grabbing her sexually totally flipped him out.

Blair shook her head. "No. I just wanted him to leave me alone so I could get my stuff. I need to get out of here, Chuck. I hate it here."

Chuck nodded his head. He could only imagine how horrible living in that place must be. "But where are you going to go?" he asked.

"My parents had a little farm with a cottage on the east coast in Canada," she told him. "It was our summer place when they were alive. Even after my father died, my mother and I would go there and spend time every summer. It's on the market now, but unlikely to sell in this economy. It's too remote. But I need to find a way to get back there.," she stated sullenly.

Chuck let out a breath he never knew he'd been holding. "You're going to go and live there by yourself?" he asked in disbelief. "And…., and what about me? Aren't you going to miss me?" he asked. He had never had a real friend or felt like this about any girl before. But now the thought of living without her was unimaginable!

"You are my only friend, Chuck. Of course I'm going to miss you. But I have no choice. Besides a group home or the street, I have no other place I can go."

"I could put you up in a hotel room," he offered. "Then you'd be with me and be safe."

Blair leaned over and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Thank-you, Chuck. That's really sweet of you to offer, but I could never do that. And I really need to get out of the city. Besides you, I hate everything about it."

He nodded and sat back in his seat, unsure of what to say or do next.

Blair noted his discomfort. "We can still hang out today, if you want. When you're ready to go home you can drop me off on your way back."

He looked at her in disbelief. "You're planning on walking to Canada?" he asked.

She giggled. "No, silly, I'll either catch a ride or take a bus to the border. After that I need to find someone who is willing to sneak me across the border and then I'll find a way to Nova Scotia."

"Find a way? You mean like as in hitch hike?" he asked in horror.

"It's not so bad, Chuck. People are less dangerous up there. I'm sure I'll be ok."

"I can't let you do that," he stated through clenched teeth. "It's too dangerous!" He began to fidget with the wires under the dashboard again and had the car going in seconds. He sped off down the road, heading toward the highway.

"What, are you planning on driving me there or something?" she laughed. But when she saw the serious look of determination on his face, she stopped laughing. That was exactly what he was planning! "Chuck, you can't be serious! You have a family back there. And this is a stolen car!"

"I'm not going to let you put yourself at risk like that," he said. "And it's not really a stolen car, This one's my father's," he admitted sheepishly.

"Let me out, Chuck. I'll be fine!" she stated when she saw him heading for the Interstate. "You can't so this! You'll be missed!"

"My father is out of town on business for at least a month," he said. "And he really doesn't care where I go! He'd never even know I was gone. I'll take you there, and then come home. Ok?"

Chuck didn't mention that he had a new stepfamily that would likely freak out over his disappearance and would surely alert his father. But he really didn't care. He didn't want to go back to his penthouse, nor could he leave her to travel all that way all by herself. It would be too dangerous.

Blair grinned at him. The thought of a road trip with her friend was much better than trying to get up north by herself. "You'll have to sneak across the border too," she warned him. "We can't take that car."

He looked at her and grinned. "Suits me," he admitted. The idea of a road trip sounded pretty good right about then to him too. And, although he'd been to several countries all over the world, he'd never been to Canada before! He looked over at her and smirked. "So, what do you say? Road Trip?"

Blair threw back her head and started to laugh. "Road trip!" she squealed in glee as he burned down the Interstate.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N:** So this story moves quite quickly, so beware. Also another heads up: they will be ooc, so be prepared for that.

Anyways, I hope you like the story so far. Please leave a comment or review to let mw know you want me to continue it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The skies began to darken later that the afternoon as they headed north. Chuck began to yawn and stated they should probably find a place to stop and sleep for the night. He suggested a motel, but Blair thought they'd be questioned because they were both so young.

"We could just sleep in the car," she suggested.

Chuck shook his head. "It's starting to rain a little and it's pretty cool outside. Besides, there's only got one blanket in the trunk. We'd freeze to death."

He finally pulled off to the side of the road near a rest stop. He decided to follow a gravel road up ahead and drove down it until they came to an old barn barn. The thing looked empty and was away from anything else. He parked the car behind it and unhitched the wires. "We can try in there," he suggested. "It will be dry and is out of the wind at least. We can share the blanket."

Blair nodded and removed her backpack from the back seat. She dug through and took out a pair of jeans and a sweater.

The two made their way into the barn and were surprised to see hundreds of hay bails piled high. They climbed one of the piles and Chuck stacked a few bales around them so that they were inside a large square. Then he cut the bindings on another bale to spread the loose hay out for them to sleep on within the square. "At least it'll be comfortable," he stated.

Blair nodded and giggled. "It kinda looks like a fort," she noted. She took her jeans and began to slip them on under her dress. "Don't peak," she said shyly as she turned her back on him and lifted her dress to change into a sweater.

Chuck couldn't help but peak at her as she changed. He sucked in his breath at the sight of the porcelain skin of her back and of her lacy bra straps. It took every ounce of self-control he had not to pounce on her. He repeated in his mind that she was his friend and wasn't that kind of girl.

Blair zipped up her jeans and turned around when she'd finished changing. She folded the dress up neatly and tucked it into her backpack, grinning at him. "Did you bring in the food?"

"Oops," he said as he bounced back down the bales and headed out to the car. It was raining steadily now, he noted, and he was glad they'd found the barn. He quickly popped the trunk open, gathering a bag of food they picked up at the last gas station they'd stopped at, the blanket Bart always insisted he carry in case of emergencies, and a flashlight with him. He couldn't believe how excited he was to be spending the night in a barn in the middle of nowhere!

Chuck spread the blanket out and smiled when he noticed that she'd brushed out her beautiful hair. He loved its color and the way the soft curls framed her grogeous face. "You have great hair," he commented.

Blair blushed. "It was all knotted from being in a convertible all afternoon," she defended.

He leaned over and brushed a strand off her face. "Regardless, its beautiful," he said.

She nodded, turning a darker shade of red and sat down on the blanket, tucking her feet up under her. Chuck sat across from her and dumped the bag of food out in the middle. He passed her a sandwich and a bottle of water.

"Thank-you," she said as she began to unwrap the cellophane covered bread. She hadn't eaten all day and she was hungry!

Chuck nodded as he dug into his own food too. He was starving! He quickly ate two sandwiches before Blair finished her first. He passed her another, but she shook her head.

"No, thanks. I'm actually quite full," she commented as she wiped her mouth with a napkin and picked up her water bottle.

Chuck watched as the muscles of her throat moved up and down as she drank her water. He found the image so erotic he began to grow tight in the trousers and he groaned.

Blair placed the lid back on the bottle and looked at him questionably. "Did you say something, Chuck?"

Now it was Chuck's turn to blush. He was grateful for the dimming evening light and shook his head. "No, it must have been my stomach," he fibbed.

"Well have that other sandwich if you're still hungry," she suggested as she stood up to place her backpack on top of the square they were in.

He chuckled. "No thanks, we'll save it for morning. I'm sure I'll be fine." He began to tidy up the food and lay the bag off to the side, next to another hay bale. He shook the blanket out over away from their 'fort' and laid it back down on the loose hay. He lay down and grinned at her.

Blair stretched out beside him and shivered. "It's still pretty cold in here," she admitted.

"Well if we curl up together on the edge, I think the blanket is big enough to cover us too," he suggested nervously. He slid over to the edge and gestured that she should turn around and snuggle closer to him. Once she did, Chuck pulled the opposite edge of the blanket over them and tucked it in behind his back.

It was mighty close, but Blair had to admit, much, much warmer. "That's better," she commented as she felt her body begin to relax against Chuck's warmth. "You're a good friend."

"Mmmm," he agreed as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in a little closer. He did want to be far more than friends with her, but knew he couldn't push it. Again he told himself she was different from all the other girls he knew; and unwanted advances would most likely scare her away. But perhaps he could show her in other, subtler ways, that he liked her, he thought. He took his hand and lifted her hair up so it wasn't in his face and he laid his face next to the soft curve of her neck, slipping his arm back around her belly again.

Blair felt warm shivers rush up and all over her body at his touch. She'd never lain with a boy before and certainly had never had one hold her so intimately. If she hadn't been so dammed warm and comfortable, she'd have been terrified.

Chuck, however, actually was terrified once he realized the intimacy of their situation. Although he'd bedded tons of girls in his young life, he'd never actually lain with one so closely before when no sex was involved. It was all about the sex for him, and spooning had never been something he was interested in doing before now. But as he held Blair Waldorf so close with his face resting in the curve of her neck and his hand draped innocently across her belly, a funny tingly feeling began to spread inside his stomach and chest, making him feel queasy and a little bit dizzy too. He wondered if maybe he had a touch of food poisoning at first, and was going to be sick. But as he thought about that, the feeling subsided; only to return once again when he thought about the girl he was so intimately holding in his arms! And the realization that he was falling for her horrified him. If he wasn't so concerned about them freezing to death, he would have left her with the blanket, and gone to sleep in the car by himself, that's how scared he was.

Blair quickly fell asleep and her breathing settled into a regular pattern. And as she slept, Chuck managed to finally relax and think about what he was doing. In realistic terms, he knew he was running away from home. He felt a little bit stupid about it, because he was a rich kid and was almost sixteen years old, but he really didn't care! He hated his father, his stepfamily and his life in New York. Before he met Blair, the only things he could think of doing were getting drunk, smoking drugs, getting laid, and pissing his father off!

So if he took off for a little while and it pissed his father off supremely, who cared? Maybe his father wouldn't even bother to look for him, he thought sourly. Maybe the man would even be relieved that he was gone and was finally out of his life for good! Then Bart could concentrate on his new family and be happy for the first time since before Chuck's birth!

Chuck scowled, thinking that that was a likely scenario. He had been unloved and unwanted since birth. Then he thought about the girl he was nestled with under the blanket, in the barn in the middle of nowhere. She had nothing and nobody in this life besides a tiny cottage on the shores of Canada. She had once been a much loved and cherished child, but had become an orphan after a chain of unfortunate events. They were so different, but seemed so alike in a lot of ways. Now he was her only friend, just as she was his. He placed his lips gently against the delicate skin of her neck and kissed her, making her mumble something in her sleep and snuggle even closer to him. No, he thought. He could not leave her and return to his family. There was really nothing left for him in the city, either.

Chuck felt the silky skin under her sweater and he carefully let his fingers stroke against it. He had also noted that their connection seemed to generate some kind of energy between them when they touched. It was unnerving! And the tingles in his belly seemed to increase while caressing her, so he decided to stop before he lost control and did something he'd surely regret later. He sighed and pulled back a little from Blair, realizing he was getting an erection. And although she was asleep and he was pretty sure she was quite inexperienced in that area, he didn't want to wake her up and totally freak her out!

But as he pulled away, Blair turned over so she faced him and she cuddled up closer, tucking her head up under his chin and sighing contentedly in her sleep.

Chuck closed his eyes and tried to think of something unpleasant so that the tightening in his trousers would let up. But as hard as he tried, his body remained aware of the tiny brunette that was clinging to him. He finally managed to fall asleep in the wee hours of the morning, surely he'd be sporting a set of blue balls!

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N:** Just a short transitioning chapter…. I'll release Chapter 4 in a few days. If you liked it, please review it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**A/N:** After seeing the shit of a Canadian promo for the next show, I am pleased to remind you that this story is AU and the characters will be somewhat OOC. Thank God for that!

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

Blair woke up and found herself almost lying across Chuck's body, one leg covering his hips, her head just over his heart. She noted one of Chuck's arms was wrapped around her, his hand resting on her bottom. His other arm was under his head and he was snoring softly. She stretched and snuggled against him, noting the morning air was chilly in the barn.

Chuck felt Blair stretch and he opened his eyes just as hers closed again. He lifted his arm from behind his head and placed it around her body, resting it on her back. He tilted his head forward and kissed the top of her head. "Good morning," he whispered.

Blair opened her eyes up and she lifted her head and grinned at him, then snuggled back against his warmth. "It's freezing this morning," she commented.

He held her tighter and shivered. "It's warm under here," he said.

Blair rolled off and curled away from him, but reached her hand over to suggest he curl against her again. Chuck followed suit and she nestled her back into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her and placed his lips against her neck again.

"Mmm, that's better," she agreed as she shuddered against him.

Chuck wanted to stay like that all day but knew they had to get on the road soon. Besides, with her backside against his crotch he was starting to become aroused again. "I need to pee," he stated as he rolled out from behind her and sat up, despite her groans of protest.

He made his way off the hay bales and stood outside the barn entrance to complete his business.

A moment later Blair joined him, walking around to the other side of the car. She had her toiletries bag and a water bottle with her. She put the bag on the hood of the car and squatted down to pee. When she finished she washed her hands and face with the water from her bottle and took her toothbrush out to brush her teeth.

She rinsed it off and passed it over to Chuck when she saw him approach with their belongings. He tossed the stuff in the trunk and accepted the brush, wanting to rid himself of that mungy sensation he often awoke with. "Thanks," he said when he finished his task, handing it back to her.

Blair grinned and put the brush back in her toiletries bag, which she placed back in her backpack. She closed the trunk and hopped in the car, eager to be on their way.

"We need to ditch the car soon and then figure out how to get to and then over the border," he stated seriously as they began their way back on the Interstate.

Bair nodded and put her head back against the rich leather of the seat. It was such a lovely car, it was a pity they couldn't take it with them, she thought. But she knew there was no way to get it across the border.

A little before noon they decided to ditch the car in an empty field just outside of a little town in Main. Next, Chuck walked into a shop to purchase a couple of pairs of jeans, some socks and underwear, and a couple of shirts along with a pair of running shoes and a backpack. He looked ridiculous in his school uniform, he commented and wanted to blend in instead of sticking out like a rich schoolboy. He ditched the uniform in a dumpster, in an alley behind a grocery store, a little further in town.

Finally feeling normal the two continued along into the town where they managed to find a bus depot and purchased the tickets to take them to the nearest border town. They reached their destination by early afternoon.

They then needed to find someone willing to smuggle them across into Canada. They sat in a café and looked at the numerous truckers that were stopping in for lunch before going over the border. But they had little luck arranging a ride until Chuck flashed a couple of hundred dollar bills in front of one of the men.

"How far into Canada can you take us?" he asked the greedy man. "My girlfriend needs to get across to see her dying grandmother."

"I'm going to northern New Brunswick," the man stated in a heavy French accent. "I run produce down here every day. You can hide behind the crates and I can let you off in the next town if you want. They don't always check in the back when I return."

Chuck agreed and paid the man half down with a promise of the other half when he dropped them off across the border.

The truck driver loaded them up in the back of the dirty truck and leaned a number of flats in front of them in case the border guard checked in the back of his truck, as they did occasionally.

But this time it had been unnecessary. Because it was a run the man made everyday and because the border was busy that particular morning, they easily made their way across without anybody bothering to check the back of the truck. They had no problems getting across.

When the man finally stopped driving and let them out in the next town, Chuck paid him his remaining cash and asked him where they could find a bus station. The man gave them directions and they bade him goodbye, they were both eager to get to Blair's cottage before night fall.

It was a short wait until they caught a bus that would take them to Halifax. From there, another longer bus ride would take them to the town where Blair's cottage was located.

However, once off the bus Chuck was dismayed that they had to walk for well over an hour before they finally made their way up the lane to the little cottage door. It was dark by the time they reached their destination.

Chuck dug the flashlight out of his backpack and shone it while Blair searched for the key to the cottage. He'd never seen a night so black in his entire life!

She found the key buried in an old flowerpot in the front flowerbed. She brushed it off and carefully unlocked the door. Once inside Blair turned on the lights.

Chuck was surprised that the cottage felt warm and that there was electricity working. He looked at her puzzled.

"We're off the grid," she explained with a little laugh. "My father insisted on installing solar panels and a wind generator. It was a huge money saver. We make our own electricity and therefore there are no bills and it can never be disconnected from another source. Daddy was installing similar panels on our house in Boston when he had the accident that killed him," she reminisced sadly.

She reached for her backpack and took it into her mother's bedroom. "You can sleep in my room," she told him with a little quiver in her voice. She led him to a tiny room that had a comfortable single bed and that had a beautiful view of the harbor when it wasn't so dark out.

Chuck nodded and let her be for a few minutes realizing she was likely overwhelmed with being in her family's holiday home without her parents. He heard her crying in the other bedroom as she let go her grief. He made his way out into the tiny kitchen and poked around in some cupboards, surprised to find them rather well stocked!

He took out a can of soup, dug around until he found a pot and a can opener and made them a simple supper.

He heard Blair go into the bathroom and then heard the shower run. By the time she came out dressed in a crisp nightgown, he was fast asleep on the couch.

She took an old afghan her mother had knitted off the back of the couch and draped it across his body. Then she placed a little kiss on his cheek.

She sat at the table her father had made by hand and quickly finished off the soup Chuck had heated for them. When she was finished she opened the flue on the fireplace and started a fire. She curled up with a favorite childhood book in an overstuffed easy chair while Chuck slept.

A little while later, one of the logs in the fire snapped loudly with its demise and the sound startled Chuck awake. "Sorry, I must have fallen asleep," he commented groggily.

"You mustn't have slept well last night," Blair commented, her nose still buried in her book. "I put your extra clothes, some towels, and a pair of my father's pyjamas on the bed in your room," she commented. "You're welcome to have a shower if you want. There's soap and shampoo in there already."

Chuck got up off the couch, folded up the afghan and placed it over the back of the couch. "Thank you," he replied thinking how good a hot shower would feel after travelling for two days. He went into his room and grabbed a towel and the pyjamas off the little bed and headed into the bathroom for a shower. He noted happily that Blair had made up his bed with fresh sheets and a down comforter.

When he was finished, he looked in the medicine cabinet and found some new toothbrushes, a can of shaving cream, some disposable razors, men's deodorant and a few other things that had obviously been Blair's father's. He quickly lathered up and had a shave and hopped in the shower. When he was finished he sprayed some deodorant on and brushed his teeth. He felt almost new!

He finally put on the pyjamas, noting they were hand made like Blair's dresses, but were of an excellent quality, both fabric and craftsman wise. Blair had commented once that her mother had been a seamstress. He guessed correctly that she had made the pyjamas for her husband.

He explained that he'd helped himself to some supplies in the cabinet to Blair, and she responded that that was good, he was to make himself at home.

Chuck nodded and said thank-you and then looked over some of the books the Waldorf's had in various piles along a shelf that ran around the perimeter of the room. He spotted one that looked interesting and curled up on the couch to read. It was the first time he'd picked up a book on his own accord, since he'd been a child.

They read for another hour until Blair announced she was tired and needed to go to bed.

"I'm going to miss you tonight," Chuck pouted honestly as he placed the book back on the shelf and headed to his own little room behind her.

Blair walked over to him and she wrapped her arms around his neck in a little hug. "Thank-you for bringing me here, Chuck," she said tearfully. She placed a little kiss on his cheek and turned to go to her room.

"Well thank-you for letting me come along," he replied, hoping she'd come back to his arms again for another hug.

But Blair just briefly turned and smiled at him, offering a little nod instead. She went into her room and closed the door, leaving him to go to his own bed, by himself.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

The next morning, Chuck awoke to find Blair already up and outside, hanging out some laundry in the cool, crisp morning air.

She'd already been up for a couple of hours; unable to sleep when she heard the birds singing in the spring air. She'd snuck into Chuck's room to get his dirty clothes and get their laundry done to hang in the morning sun.

She grinned at him and asked him how he'd slept, grinning wider when he answered 'like a baby', to her.

"I'll make some tea and some hot cereal," she told him. "That's all we have for breakfast right now. But I set out the lobster traps earlier, so maybe we can have lobster for supper tonight if we're lucky."

"I'll eat oatmeal," Chuck confessed. "As long as there's something to put on it."

"There should be jam in the cupboard," Blair commented as she stirred the oats in the pot.

Chuck found the jam and set it on the table, unsure that the combo would be edible.

Blair laughed at him. "It's like eating fruit crisp, silly," she laughed at the look on his face as she dished it up.

She sat across from him and opened the sealed jar, placing a big glob of the jam into her porridge. She passed him the jar and laughed as he put a little jam on the side to taste first.

It wasn't half bad, he thought as he added more of the stuff to the cereal.

After breakfast, Blair sat at the table and began to work on her math schoolwork for her home schooling class.

Chuck couldn't believe she was so motivated to do it on her own. He shook his head and suggested he walk into town and pick them up a few supplies.

"It's a long way, Chuck. Are you sure you want to go?"

He shrugged. "It's not that far. Besides, it's a beautiful day. And I'll take a backpack," he commented.

"It's on a hook in the back porch next to mine," she replied as she continued on with her studies.

Chuck got dressed and slipped the backpack on and headed down the gravel road towards the town. The road ran parallel to the sand dunes and beach and he was impressed with the overall beauty and tranquility of the setting. It really was an impressive place. He watched the cows in nearby fields and even saw a couple of deer along with their fawns grazing close to the cattle. Finally, just before he came to the town, Chuck stopped at the little grocery store and went inside.

He didn't see anyone else in the store at first, but then spotted a tiny and very old man attempting to place some cans on a high shelf. "Let me help you with those," he said as he went to the man's assistance. He placed the cans up for the man and then smiled at him.

"Thank-you, son," the old guy said as he wiped his hands on his apron and stuck one out for Chuck to shake. "My names Armstrong, Bill Armstrong," he introduced himself.

"I'm Chuck," Chuck stated in return. "I'm here visiting with friends up the road."

"Well thank you for helping me, Chuck," the old guy said. "I've been looking for someone to help out in here after school on occasion, but kids these days don't want to work outside of town. I'm just a little too far removed for most of them to be bothered with….. Well, never mind that," he grumbled. "What can I help you with today?"

Chuck handed him over the list he'd made before he left the cottage and the old guy gathered the items up quickly, rang them through the till, and put them in a paper sac.

Chuck placed the bag in the backpack, paid the man and thanked him as he started the long walk back toward the Waldorf cottage.

Once home he put the eggs, cheese, milk, sandwich meat and butter in the fridge and put the bread and other dry goods on a shelf in the pantry. He hung the backpack back up on the hook in the porch, got a glass of water and plopped down on the couch.

Blair was just finishing up her work for the day and she thanked him for the groceries.

"What do you do around here for fun?" Chuck asked when she sat next to him on the couch.

She turned around and grinned at him. "Well it's nothing like being in the city," she confessed. "And it was mostly on holidays that we'd come up here. That was until daddy lost his money. One year we were up here for quite awhile and that's when I started the homeschooling….," she stated pensively. "But usually we'd just fish and work in the garden or read. Sometimes we'd take a walk along the sand dunes or even just on the property. We've got several acres," she informed Chuck. "If we were here in the fall, mom and I used to make jam and crab apple jelly. Once we sold some of it to the store you went to this morning, when things were tight. And when my father was alive he would sometimes go hunting or would work out in the barn on wood projects. He built most of the furniture in the house," she informed him proudly.

Chuck nodded thinking it sounded peaceful, but was something he'd likely grow bored of very fast. And although he hated the thought of the being back home, he was used to going to parties, cruising recklessly through crowded city streets and entertaining girls in the back of his father's limo.

Blair shook her head and laughed. "I know. You must think I'm a real drag," she admitted. "But the truth is, I like the peace and quiet. We actually lived in Manhattan when I was a little kid. I started school there. But when daddy lost his business when the economy turned bad, we stayed here for awhile and then moved to Boston. It was a lot quieter there than New York," she explained to him. "Or at least it was, until Daddy passed away. Then mom and I had to move to an apartment building in the middle of the city. It still wasn't as busy as New York was, but it was louder than where we'd lived before. And my mother had to go back to work as a seamstress. But because of her arthritis, she wasn't as good as she used to be when we lived in New York. She didn't make as much money any more. So for us, it was a real treat coming here for a holiday every year. We loved how slow and peaceful it was."

Chuck noticed that several tears had fallen down Blair's cheeks onto her blouse as she told her story. He realized that it had only been a couple of weeks since her mother had died, and obviously Blair was still grieving for the woman. He walked over to her and placed a little kiss on her forehead and wrapped her up in his arms. "I'm sorry about your mother, Blair," he said to her sincerely. "She sounds like a wonderful woman."

Blair held onto him tightly and let the tears fall. She nodded her head and whispered, "She really was," and then burrowed her head against his chest, appreciative for the support while she cried. Chuck had been the only person who had shown any kind of understanding in her grief and she was so glad that he was here holding her. She didn't want to think that he was going to have to leave her again in a few days.

After a few minutes she stopped crying and pulled herself out of his arms. "Thank-you," she whispered as she turned to go and freshen up in the bathroom.

When she came out she smiled when she noticed him outside pulling their clean clothes off the line. He brought them into the cottage and began to fold them, placing them in a pile on the kitchen table.

Blair blushed when she saw him folding a pair of her panties and then her bra. She wasn't used to men touching her things like that.

He chuckled over her bashfulness and handed her clothes to her to put away.

When the laundry was done, Blair suggested they check the lobster traps. He shuddered as he rolled up his pants and followed Blair out into the icy, knee-deep water to pull up the traps.

She hastily removed two smaller lobsters from one trap and threw them back out into deeper water explaining they were too young to eat. The second trap had a fairly large one in it and she nodded her head and placed it back down in the water to keep fresh until dinnertime. "I hope we catch another one," she commented as she turned to head back to the beach. But as Blair pivoted, she tripped over the other trap and began to fall into the water.

Chuck attempted to catch her, but ended up falling along with her instead. They both plunged in the frigid spring water and came up sputtering. It was freezing!

Chuck was almost in shock it was so cold. But the look on his face started Blair laughing. She laughed so hard she ended up sitting back down in the water again.

"You're nuts!" he said between chattering teeth. He reached down to pull her up and then decide to lift her up and fling her over his shoulders instead.

This made Blair laugh even harder and he shook his head while he hauled her up onto the beach. He put Blair down and pulled the blanket they'd brought from his father's car off the clothes line, covering them both up in it as he hugged her.

"Sorry," she finally managed when the giggles stopped. "I'm so sorry I brought you down with me when I fell," her teeth were chattering too.

Chuck grumbled that it wasn't her fault and he slipped behind her and walked them into the bathroom. He uncovered them and turned on the shower, telling her to get in.

Blair nodded and stepped into the hot spray, shuddering with its sudden warmth. But she gasped when she felt Chuck slip in next to her, wrapping his arms around her once more.

For a minute they just held each other until both of them were finally warm. Then Chuck looked down at her and leaned in to kiss her.

The kiss was unexpected and Blair thought about pulling away from him. They were just supposed to be friends. But his lips were so soft and inviting, she couldn't help but respond to the kiss and she let herself go with it. Chuck wove his hands in Blair's hair as she wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed contentedly into his mouth.

He deepened the kiss at her response, dropping his hands down to her back and pulling her in closer to him. He continued to kiss her until they felt the shower start to cool down and he swore under his breath as he released her and shut it off, least they freeze to death once again.

Blair blushed and she lowered her eyes when he turned around again. She had never been kissed like that before.

"I think we need to dry off," Chuck commented as he stepped out of the tub and helped her out. He began to peel off his wet clothes, tossing them back in the tub with the sopping blanket and smiling when he saw her blush a deeper shade of red. She looked away as he removed his pants and wrapped a towel around his waist.

He began to help dry her off, noticing she was shivering again. He helped her trembling hands undo the buttons on her blouse and slipped it off of her, tossing it along side the other items in the tub. He unzipped her skirt, and lifted her slip up over her head, catching his breath when he saw her clad only in the tiniest of panties and a bra. He smiled when he saw her grab a towel to cover herself.

"You don't need to hide, Blair," he commented. "You really have a beautiful body."

She lowered her eyes, too embarrassed to look at him.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the soft curve of her neck. "I'm going to make us some hot chocolate," he whispered in her ear. "You finish up and put some dry clothes on, ok?"

Blair nodded and said nothing as he headed into the kitchen to put on the water. She could not believe what had just transpired between them. She sat down on the toilet seat and covered her face with her hands. She was so lost and confused it wasn't even funny. On one hand she felt ashamed by what she'd just let happen to her, but on the other hand, she was excited and aroused in a way she'd never experienced before.

Blair had never had a boyfriend in her life. She'd never even really kissed a boy before today and had never imagined how sensual a kiss could be. Chuck's kisses where amazing and had awoken a part of her she never even knew existed.

She finally got up when she heard the kettle whistling and quickly threw her wet underclothes in the tub and then towel dried her hair.

She wrapped up in another towel and flew into her room to change into a warm pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt. When she was dressed she shyly made her way into the kitchen and sat at the table. "Thank-you," she told him as she picked up the steaming mug of hot chocolate he placed in front of her. "It seems you saved me again." She lowered her eyes to her drink.

He sat across from her and took a sip of his own hot drink, savoring the heat and flavor for a moment. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable in there," he motioned toward the bathroom, realizing he'd likely just blown it with her.

She lifted her eyes to catch his and she blushed a little. "You didn't," she admitted shyly.

Chuck grinned and he took another drink, unable to take his eyes off of her.

Blair was determined to hold eye contact with him for a change and she watched as his eyes darkened before her.

Chuck felt the flutters begin to invade his stomach once again as he felt himself becoming lost in her dark pools. He swallowed hard and finally had to look down, least he drown in them.

Blair blushed again and lowered her eyes too, taking another sip of her drink. What was happening to them, she wondered. She wished her mother was there to talk to about the feelings she was having.

When she finished her drink, Blair put their mugs in the sink and headed into the bathroom to wring out their wet clothes and the blanket. She tossed the items into a laundry basket and took them out to the line to hang up to dry. She startled when she felt Chuck come up from behind her to help.

Chuck smirked to himself, knowing she was nervous. He'd been cursing himself about what he'd done in the bathroom until she'd admitted he hadn't made her uncomfortable. He was thrilled that she may like him as more than just friends, but realized she was shy and it might take some time until she was ready for more. And, perhaps for the first time in his life, Chuck was fine with that. Blair Waldorf, he decided, was a girl worth waiting for.

Later that evening, Chuck went out on his own and brought the traps up from the sea, pleased to have three good sized lobsters for their dinner. Blair quickly cooked them on the stove and they feasted on them, drenching the sweet flesh with melted butter and salt.

After dinner they washed up and both curled up again with a book until bedtime.

Before Blair went to bed that night, she gently hugged Chuck and kissed him sweetly on the cheek, saying goodnight.

Chuck smiled and kissed her softly on the mouth in return, and then made his way to his bed alone. He was sure that wouldn't be the case for much longer.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

For the next couple of weeks, Blair directed her energy to the garden behind the cottage. She was pleased that Chuck got the old rototiller working and had the strength to till the soil for her. The food she grew now, she explained, would have to get her through the winter months in case she wasn't able to find work.

She planted neat rows of vegetables and corn with some seeds that she'd found in a cupboard on the porch, and ran chicken wire around the entire thing once planted, just as she'd seen her parents do, to keep the rabbits out.

"I should buy some chickens," she commented out loud once her garden was planted. "They'll give me eggs and meat this winter if I can't catch any fish, and maybe I could sell some of the eggs to the grocer down the lane or exchange them for food."

That conversation upset Chuck a great deal. His brain went into overdrive for the next couple of days. He knew he was supposed to return home soon. He'd been there already far longer than he intended. But the thought of Blair all alone up here, perhaps starving to death, was unfathomable.

He went through his wallet, but there wasn't much cash left. He knew better than to use his credit card, which could be easily traced by his father. But without money, they wouldn't have any food left to eat in a very short time. They had almost exhausted the dry goods that were stored in the cottage when they first came, and there wouldn't be vegetables from the garden until early summer.

"I'm worried about money," he told her one night after dinner. "There isn't much food left and we have almost no money to buy any."

She shrugged her shoulders and cleared the plates to the sink in the kitchen.

"Blair, I'm serious," Chuck said. "What are we supposed to do?"

"Well you are going to go back to your family in New York," she told him. "So there really isn't anything for you to worry about. And I'll manage somehow," she said, not seeming too concerned. "I can gather mushrooms and greens in the woods and fields, or find a little work in town until the garden comes in. And then I'll have enough food to last me the winter. If I'm lucky, I can maybe find someone to hire me as a seamstress. That will help support me and will pay for the rest of my classes too."

"But you'll be hungry and poor and will be out here all alone!" he stated.

She looked at him and tears filled her eyes. "I don't have a choice, Chuck," she cried. "I have no real family anymore. And I have no other place to go. You have." She turned around and filled the sink with water to begin washing the dishes.

He looked at her in shock. Maybe she was crazy, he thought. But he knew what she said was true. Blair had no family left and had nowhere else to go. This was home to her.

But it was unacceptable. "Maybe….., maybe I can talk to my father," he said out loud. "Maybe he can help you."

Blair turned around and looked at him skeptically. She shook her head. "You know that's not going to happen. He'll likely turn me over to Child Welfare and I'd be placed in a group home or back with Michelle. And I can't go back there again. I'd rather live here alone"

She saw the sorrow written all over his face and her heart flipped for him. She finished the rest of the dishes and laid a clean tea towel over the drying wrack, then walked over to where he sat. She stroked his head and leaned down to kiss him beside his ear. "You have a good heart, Chuck. But it's not your problem. I've been poor most of my life and I'm a survivor. I'll find a way to get by."

Chuck wrapped his arms around her and held his head to her belly. "I don't think I can leave you," he whispered as tears filled his eyes. "I can't bear the thought of you being here alone."

"I'll be all right," she told him.

But he knew she wouldn't be. And it broke his heart.

The next few days the pair of them focused on finding food. While Blair began to gather wild mushrooms, fiddle heads, and edible spring greens from the fields on the property, Chuck made great attempts at fishing. He found that he had more luck catching fish early in the morning, or after it got dark if he took a lantern with him.

He caught more than enough for them to eat and cleaned the rest, wrapping and stacking them neatly in the freezer out in the garage for Blair to eat later when supplies were down.

"I think I'll try and find a job," he announced one morning after a breakfast of fish and porridge. "The old guy in the grocery store said he was looking for some help. Maybe he'll hire me."

"What about going home?" she asked him with concern. "You're father will be back in New York soon. You need to be there when he returns."

"The semester is a write off for me at school anyways," he argued. "I won't get any credits and he'll just bitch at me when the school kicks me out. I think I should stay here until the end of summer. Then I'll think about going back."

"Chuck, you can't stay up here! You have a family that loves you. You have a home to go back to."

"But…., but I want to stay here with you. And there really is no point in going back until next fall. I tell you, he's going to kill me when he finds out I failed the semester. Besides, you're a good influence on me. I haven't even stolen a single car since I came up here with you, now have I?

Blair giggled. "No, that's true," she answered. "That's because there's too much work that needs to be done here to give you any free time for that kind of stuff. But I still think you should go home."

Chuck frowned. Maybe she was sick of him and he'd warn out his welcome here. "Don't you want me to stay?" he asked quietly.

Blair got up from the table and she walked over to him and took both of his hands in hers. "You're the only friend I have in the whole world, Chuck. Of course I want you to stay. But you can't just turn your back on your family."

He stood up and pulled her in to a hug. "You're more like family to me than anyone else is, Blair. And I don't want to leave you up here alone."

She shook her head and felt tears pool in her eyes. She wanted him to stay too but knew what he really should do. Finally she started to cry. "I think you should go back to your father, Chuck. But I won't make you leave. I love having you here with me. You're welcome to stay as long as you want. You'll always have a place here if you want it."

He held her even tighter. "Thank you," he replied after a while.

At the grocery store, Bill Armstrong was more than happy to employ Chuck for a few hours, and suggested he come in whenever he could, to earn more. "I can't pay you much," the old guy apologized, "But I'll give you a discount on supplies and I really could use whatever help you can give me."

The job really didn't pay much, but it could help keep them going for a while if they needed. Chuck started work that morning, wiping and stocking shelves, dusting cans and sweeping up for the old guy. He made only thirty dollars that morning, but it was the first real money Chuck had ever worked for in his life and he was proud of himself. He told Bill he'd be back later in the week to help again.

The old man told Chuck he was a good worker and suggested he try getting other work down at the docks and on some of the farms outside of town. "There isn't a lot of need for casual labor during the winter months," he stated. "But there's often someone looking to hire a willing fella with a strong back to till, pick, haul freight or gut fish in the spring and summer. "

Chuck thanked the man and left the store, heading further down the road for another hour until he came to the docks.

"Are you looking for work," a man on a fishing trolley asked him as he was passing by.

Chuck turned around and nodded. "I am," he called back.

"The warehouse at the end of the pier needs hands to gut fish," he told him. "If you've got the stomach for it, it pays ok."

Chuck thanked the man and made his way down to the end of the pier.

He went across the road to a warehouse where they were processing the catch of the day. He donned an apron and rubber boots, put on a hairnet and gloves and began the disgusting task of cleaning fish with a few other men. They worked none stop until dusk, then each man was paid out in cash and sent home.

"If you're here by five in the morning, you can find work on a trolley until about noon," someone suggested. "It pays about the same."

Chuck nodded and thanked the man, pocketing his money and starting the long two-hour walk back to the cottage.

Blair stared out down the road from the doorway of the porch. The evening was almost black and it had started to rain. Chuck had been gone all day and she was worried. "Maybe he went back home," she whispered sadly, knowing if he did it was probably for the best. But the thought of him leaving her, made her cry.

She stirred the chowder on the stove and covered the bubbling pot back up. It wouldn't be cooked for another hour anyways, he thought. She picked up her English unit and plopped it down on the table. She had to finish an essay and mail the completed unit out tomorrow.

By the time the chowder was cooked and she'd taken it off the stove to cool, Chuck was just coming up the lane. She heard him calling her from outside.

"Chuck! Where have you been? I've been so worried about you!" she cried. She ran outside to hug him, but stopped short after she caught a whiff of him. "Oh my God! Why do you stink so badly?"

Chuck wiped his brow and leaned over in exhaustion, hugging his knees. "I worked at the sore this morning and gutted fish all afternoon," he said with a grin. "I need a shower, food and sleep!" He dug the eighty dollars he'd made out of his pocket and handed the lot over to her.

She took the cash from him and grinned. "I'm so proud of you," she said. Then she told him to strip his clothes off out in the garage by the washing machine and to shower while she finished cooking their dinner.

She boiled up some fiddleheads to go with their chowder and once steamed, she put them in a frying pan with some butter to sauté with some garlic and a little vinegar. She dished up the chowder and put bread and butter on the table.

By the time Chuck was finished in the shower he was hungry enough to eat a horse. He dug into the chowder, sopping it up with thick slices of bread and even ate the fiddleheads without complaint. He never thought that food could ever taste so good!

"Do you have an alarm clock?" he asked when he was done eating and Blair was cleaning up the dishes.

Blair nodded. "There's one in my room. Why?"

"I'll need to be up by three if I want work on the trolley boat," he replied sleepily.

"Three?" she said in alarm. "But that's ridiculous!"

"It takes me two hours to walk there. And the money isn't bad. If I want work, I have to be there early enough to catch the boat. Maybe I can by a bicycle or something so it's a shorter commute," he commented, not telling her he was tempted to steal a car. But he knew that the community was small enough that he'd likely be caught immediately, if he tried.

She nodded and went to bring him the alarm clock. "Are you going to work this late again?" she asked.

He nodded his head. "If I can. I want to get a little money saved up for us, just in case." He got up from the table and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Goodnight," he said.

For the rest of the week, Chuck worked on the trolleys and at the docks gutting fish. Along with the long walk it was grueling hard work and he was exhausted by the time he got home each night. On the weekend he helped out once again in the store, this time exchanging his hours for the groceries they needed.

Blair had looked around and found her family's old bikes in the garage. She cleaned them up and pumped up the tires for them. After the next night, Chuck's commute to the docks was much quicker than it had initially been.

Chuck also asked the grocery store owner if Blair could do his part time job at the store during the week, while he worked the docks. They needed the money, Chuck explained. The old guy was happy to oblige. He really needed the help and soon learned Blair was a good worker. Besides, he thought, the family was likely needing the money if the kids had to work.

Blair worked three shifts a week at the store and found that with her schoolwork, house chores and the garden, it was more than enough to keep her busy too. She rode her mother's bike to the store and back, appreciating that the previous one-hour walk each way was now reduced to a short, fifteen-minute ride.

They were saving money and the pantry was well stocked within a few weeks. They took the weekends off. They were so busy with work and just surviving that Chuck didn't realize that he'd missed his own birthday!

On the weekends, Blair often packed a picnic for them and the two would wander the sand dunes and marshy ponds, exploring the area around them.

One Sunday while they were out on the dunes, they were startled by a small herd of wild horses passing by. "They're beautiful!" Blair cried with joy as the horses galloped past the picnickers. "I haven't seen a wild horse since I was a little girl!"

She stood up and ran after them a bit, laughing and splashing through the shallow water like a child might do.

Chuck grinned and watched her as she splashed and played in the surf, her chestnut mane sailing in the breeze, just like that of the horses. It made his heart pound in his chest and the fluttery tingles filled his belly again. "She's so beautiful," he said to himself.

A few minutes later Blair rejoined him and collapsed on the blanket on her back, her breath coming in short pants as she tried to catch her breath. Her deep brown eyes were sparkling as she smiled up at him. "I haven't done that in ages," she defended in case he thought her crazy.

He just nodded and grinned at her, unable to keep from looking at her onyx eyes.

Chuck looked so happy that it made Blair's heart sing. She reached up and stroked the side of his face, loving the light whiskers on his unshaven skin.

Chuck leaned down and placed his lips against hers, unable to stop himself from kissing her right then. When Blair's other hand cupped the other side of his face, he deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue into her parted lips and exploring her mouth a little.

Blair sighed in response as she kissed him back, her hands sliding up into his sun-kissed, wind-blown hair. She startled momentarily when his hand slid under her blouse and he ran his fingers up her flat tummy onto her breast. He cupped her though her bra, groaning in appreciation when he felt the nipple harden immediately.

He slipped his hand out and hesitantly undid her blouse, then unhooked the front closure of her bra. Once again he cupped her breast with his hands, but this time his lips left her mouth and made their way to the rosy peaks below, causing Blair to gasp.

His hand slipped down to her tummy and then past her skirt onto her thighs. He gently stroked the delicate skin of her outer thighs, wanting to go further but still somewhat hesitant. He hadn't really touched her since that night in the shower, many weeks ago. She seemed hesitant to him. He wasn't sure if she'd be willing or not.

It was then they heard the sound of some kids on dirt bikes, quickly coming their way up the dunes.

Blair gasped again and sat up, quickly doing up her bra and blouse, and recomposing herself while she blushed crimson.

Chuck couldn't help but grin at her burning cheeks as they watched a group of kids, likely close to their ages, fly by.

The two quickly finished their lunch and folded up the blanket to make their way back home, neither of them talking about what had happened earlier on the beach. They had gardening chores to do and another busy week ahead of them to get ready for.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

**A/N: **The lack of interest in this story is discouraging…. I need to know you're liking it to motivate me to do more, if too little interest, I'll pull it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 **

**A/N: Mature content warning, read at your discretion.**

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Another couple of weeks passed and there had been no further displays of affection since their encounter at the beach. They were now into early summer and Chuck hadn't shown any further interest in kissing or touching her at all! Blair was confused. The two seemed to go about their daily routines and that was all.

He seemed to have wanted her that weekend, she thought sadly, but not since then. Had she done something wrong, she wondered one night as they were eating their dinner. She didn't know that for the first time in Chuck's life, he was afraid of rejection. If he pushed Blair and she refused him, he would ruin their friendship and he would have to leave and return home.

One evening as she was saying goodnight to him, Blair hesitated in her doorway and finally just asked him, "Did I do something wrong, Chuck?"

Chuck looked up from his book and put it down on the table. He got up and walked over to her, confused. "What do you mean?" he asked.

She blushed a little but made herself look at him. "I don't understand what I've done to make you stop liking me like…, like you seemed to that day on the beach when the dirt bikes interrupted. Why won't you touch me anymore?"

Chuck grinned and wrapped his arms around her. "You've done nothing wrong," he reassured her. "I just don't want to rush you into doing something you're not ready for," he explained.

He pulled away from her and put his hand gently on her chin, tilting her head so that she was looking at him. "You mean so much to me and I do want you," he confessed. "But I need to know that you want me too." He lowered his lips and gently began to kiss her, moaning aloud when Blair deepened the kiss and her tight, little body melted against his.

"I do want you, Chuck," she replied softy when they pulled apart for air.

Chuck grinned and gathered her up into his arms, carrying her to her bed. He set her down gently and sat next to her. He ran his hand down along the soft skin of her cheek. "Can I stay with you tonight?" he asked shyly as he leaned in to kiss her softly along her jawline to her ear, causing Blair to shiver.

Blair closed her eyes and she nodded, unsure of what to say, but knowing that she wanted him in her bed with her.

Chuck got off the bed and he went out into the hallway to the kitchen and living room. He shut off the lights and secured the grate in the fireplace for the night. He came back to Blair's bed and sat down next to her, resting a hand on her shoulder.

He was actually frightened. He swallowed hard and looked at her. "Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly, almost afraid of whatever possible response she might give him.

Blair slid closer to him and she stroked his face lovingly. She leaned in to kiss him tenderly. She smiled and nodded her head. "I'm sure," she told him as she looked into his dark amber eyes.

Chuck shut the bedside light off and he crawled under the covers next to her. He was actually nervous as he slid up close and took her face in his hands while he began to kiss her again.

Blair mewled into his mouth as he lost himself in a passion he'd never quite experienced before. Chuck groaned in ecstasy as Blair began to run her hands up his body, then around to unbutton his pyjama shirt.

He helped her undo and remove the garment and then lifted her nightdress up and over her head, tossing it onto the floor. He ran his hands up her unbelievably sinful body as she ran hers over his chest and around to his back.

A moment later Blair hesitantly put her hands on his pyjama bottoms and Chuck stopped touching her to undo the buttons for her. She helped slide them down and off his feet, but she was still too self-conscious to touch him there.

He smiled at her innocence and took her hand to guide it to his silky, smooth skin. He whimpered when he finally felt her stroke him on her own and he made himself lay quietly while she had the chance to explore him.

He had been with virgins before, but never one he anyone he actually cared about. He wanted Blair's first time to be on her terms, not his.

Blair had never even seen a man's penis before, let alone touch one. She marveled at how erect he was and the way the delicate skin felt when she glided her hands along his shaft. She was surprised to feel how different the head of it felt. The skin seemed to slide back, leaving a slippery and sensitive bulb beneath. She heard Chuck whimper again as she ran her finger around his tip.

He kissed her again on the mouth, as he let her continue exploring him and his fingers trailed down to her breasts, belly and then between her legs. He stroked the soft down of her mound, encouraging her to open her legs for him.

Blair sighed into his mouth and she parted her legs as she continued to caress his penis and balls.

Chuck groaned as he felt her wet heat and he carefully began to slip his fingers between her virginal folds, causing Blair to whimper with want. He gently inserted one finger, and then a second one and began to stroke her until she began to see stars and cried out his name.

He almost came at that moment, but stopped himself and held her hand still on him momentarily, until he got back in control.

He opened his eyes to see her looking at him and he smiled. He leaned in to kiss her again and then carefully rolled over on top of her until he was positioned at her entrance.

Blair hooked her knees up against his thighs and Chuck grabbed behind them. "This might hurt for a moment," he warned her with a tender kiss. "But it'll feel good soon afterwards."

"It's ok," she told him, although she was shaking with both fear and anticipation at what was about to happen.

He nodded his head and then slid his penis carefully into her, stopping at her barrier. He looked at her once more and Blair nodded her head for him to continue. With a sudden thrust, Chuck broke though her hymen, causing Blair to cry out in pain.

"Shhh," he whispered as he caught her lips in his once more in a sensual kiss. When he felt her relax a bit he continued until he was buried to the hilt inside of her. He slowly slid out and then back in again, increasing his rhythm as he felt her muscles begin to relax around him. When he thought she was ready for more, Chuck grabbed her behind the knees again and pulled them back, causing Blair's pelvis to arch and he began to fuck her harder, soon hitting that delicious place he'd stroked with his fingers earlier.

Blair gasped as he continued to pound into her, feeling the tension of her body build more and more with each thrust. When he felt she was close, he let go of a knee and began to circle around her clit, bringing her to immediate release and coming violently inside of her as well.

Once her body stopped jolting, Blair lowered her legs and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She'd never felt closer to another person in her life.

Chuck collapsed on top of her and he buried his face into the damp curve of her neck. "I think I felt your soul," he admitted as he kissed her neck.

"I think I felt yours, too," she replied back as she ran her hands down to his bottom.

Chuck grunted and tried to nod his head. He'd never been so emotionally drained as he felt with her at that moment. The fluttery feelings were all over his body. "I…, I think I love you," he confessed in a whisper.

Blair felt tears pool in her eyes and she smiled. "I think I love you too."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

From that point on Chuck shared a bed with Blair every night. Neither of them could seem to get enough lovemaking! It was an all-consuming passion they shared, and neither of them could be happier.

Once he realized he was truly in love, Chuck really grew up. That summer he worked even harder than he had before without complaint and savored the time they had together each evening.

He worked in earnest around the small farm, chopping wood for the fireplace and helping Blair construct a pen around an old chicken coop. They purchased several fat hens and a sturdy looking rooster.

"We could buy a sow," he suggested one night while lying in bed after making love. He'd been reading the 'For Sale' ads in the local paper earlier after supper. "They're very prolific!"

"Maybe," Blair said as she snuggled closer to him and sensually grazed her nails against his chest and down to his lower belly. "But who is going to butcher the young when they're ready?" she asked as she slipped her hand inside of his pyjama bottoms. "Butchering pigs would be disgusting!"

"Uhmmm," he groaned as she began to work him with her delicate hand. "Point made." He gently removed her hand from his loins. "Blair, we need to talk about birth control," he commented. "What happens if I get you pregnant"

She chuckled softly. "I'm sure I already am," she replied quietly as she rubbed her hands against her belly.

His face fell and he sat up. "What do you mean you're sure you already are? How could you know so soon?"

"I just know, Chuck. I feel different. And I'm so happy! I always wanted a baby. Now I'll have a family again."

"But we're too young. You're still only fifteen!" he cried as he turned on the bedside table lamp and looked at her seriously.

Blair sat up and she looked at him with concern. "But I think having a baby is the most wonderful thing in the world. Don't you?"

He looked at her and touched the side of her angelic face. He loved her. She was his family. And at the moment he couldn't think of ever being happier than he was with her, in his life. Maybe a baby wasn't such a bad thing after all, he thought.

He placed his hand on her tummy and caressed the perfectly flat skin. "Yes, having a baby is wonderful," he admitted. "But we're so young! How will we manage?"

"We just will," she replied softly as she rested her hands over his. Just think, you're going to be a father," she whispered.

"A father," he repeated fearfully. The thought was overwhelming. "I'm going to be a father!"

Blair snuggled back down next to him and Chuck turned out the lights and held her tightly against his pounding heart.

"I love you, Chuck Bass," she whispered as she began to drift off to sleep in his arms.

He placed his lips against her neck and gently kissed her. "I love you too, sweetheart," he cooed in her ear. "I love you so much….."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N: **So I know a few of you are screaming, "Too Soon!" but this story moves along really fast and I am trying to follow the basic plot of the movie. And yes, I am sure our Chuck would likely freak over a baby at this point in his life, but here, he is actually happy about it because he's in love and wants a family with Blair. So please bare with me, it is a bit different than others. But with the sickening Dair reality right now, we all need something a little different!


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Bart Bass frowned as he looked through the bag of contents that they pulled out of his poor, ruined car. His son's cell phone had been among the waterlogged possessions recovered from the submerged vehicle. So that answered one part of the puzzle. Chuck had stolen his father's car. Now all Bart needed to know was why he'd done it and what had happened to the boy since?

Bart had reported his son's absence to the police after his business trip, way back in the spring. At first he believed the bratty teen was just pissed off over his new stepfamily and would eventually, after a short period to prove his point, return home. But when Chuck remained missing in action after another month, Bart had become concerned and panicked. Charles Bass was gone!

The police had become involved the and Bart had his detective look for the missing boy all over the state and in the other places that someone like Chuck might frequent. But Chuck was nowhere to be seen. Nobody had seen him or heard from him at all.

But what concerned Bart the most was that Chuck's bank account had remained completely untouched. The boy hadn't made a withdrawal or used a credit card since his disappearance months ago! And as spoiled as Chuck had been, him not using any money was alarming.

When the call came from up north that his car had been found submerged in a small lake, Bart dropped all of his business meetings for the day and headed there, hoping for some answers.

But what he'd found only left him more confused and worried then ever. Chuck had obviously left the state of New York. But where the boy was headed and to do what, remained a complete mystery to the distraught father.

When Bart returned home that evening, his wife noted her husband looked like he'd aged another ten years.

"They'll find him," Lily soothed as she held him to her chest. "They'll expand the search now across the country. With the reward you're offering, someone will surely turn him in."

Bart nodded, but was still unconvinced. "I'm not even sure if he's alive any more," he commented sadly.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

By early fall the kids learned that Blair was indeed pregnant. She hadn't gotten her period since they'd begun making love and her belly, although still flat, was as hard as a rock. She purchased some cotton and flannel material and excitedly begun to make tiny blankets, diapers, and sleepers with her mother's old sewing machine for the baby.

Blair had begun to occasionally get sick in the mornings, but that didn't seem to slow her down any. She kept up with her schoolwork and job, the garden and with most of the chores around the house. But she let Chuck take over most of the chicken chores; the smell of the birds seemed only to add to her nausea.

At this point, neither of them brought up the fact that Chuck was supposed to have returned home. In Chuck's mind, it was unfathomable. He was too much in love and Blair was now carrying his child. And Blair didn't bring it up either. She figured if he really wanted to leave, he just would.

Chuck worked hard just about every day at the docks, knowing that the season would soon be up and he'd be without employment for most of the long, cold winter.

In the mornings, he'd head out on one of several boats with a small group of men and would work hard hauling in heavy nets; sorting fish and keeping the craft clean. In the afternoon, he generally worked in the warehouse, cleaning the fish that various fishermen brought in from their morning catch. He often came home exhausted, only wanting his dinner and sleep when he was finished. But he didn't complain. He was adamant they would save the money they needed to get them through the winter and look after a baby.

"I think you should go and see a doctor," Chuck stated one Sunday morning after Blair had thrown up a little more than was usual.

"We don't have any health care coverage for that, Chuck," she replied after her stomach settled enough for her to talk again.

"But we need to know that everything's all right," he argued. "You should have prenatal care. We want our baby to be healthy, right?

She curled up on his lap and rested her head on the shoulder. "Of course we do. But we're not Canadians. We'd have to pay cash to see a doctor and even though we've been saving, we don't have enough."

"There might be some help in one of the cities for teen or single moms that you could go to," he suggested. "We can go to the library and use their computer to research it. We could borrow some baby books then, too."

Blair nodded. "That's a good idea. We need to look at a getting a crib and a few other supplies for the baby soon too."

He grinned at her. "I want to try and make a crib," he told her. "I've been playing around with some of your dad's tools and stuff, and I think if I got a book or some blueprints to follow, I could do it."

She snuggled closer to him and kissed him lovingly. "That would be wonderful. I'd like our child to sleep in a little bed you made for him."

"You think you're going to have a boy?" he asked as he nuzzled her neck. "I think I'd like a son."

"Last week you said you'd love a little girl," she giggled.

"How about one of each? " he asked. "Instant family!"

Blair laughed. "I think one at a time would be better. We can always have more later!"

Chuck reached up and kissed her soundly. The thought of them having a houseful of active kids sounded wonderful to him. In fact, it sounded perfect!

In the few short months that he'd known her, Chuck had become a man. In his mind, a family was the next logical step. He had learned the value of a dollar and appreciated the hard and honest work he had to do to earn it. He appreciated having a home, a table with good food, and the love of a good woman to come home to every night. And even though they were tired and they struggled just to survive, he wouldn't have it any other way. For the first time in his life, Chuck Bass felt good about the person he'd become.

He decided to take one day off work the following week, making the long trip to Halifax by bus, determined to see a doctor for a prenatal check up. There was a good teen pregnancy center there, and they'd look at Blair without asking too many questions.

The doctor confirmed the pregnancy for them and ran a series of tests, saying they could call or come back the following week for the results. They did an ultrasound test and both kids became awestruck when they heard the heartbeat and saw the tiny child squirming in her belly on the screen.

"I can't believe we did that!" Chuck stated in disbelief. He reached down and kissed Blair, even more in love with her than he'd been before.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

"Everything looks normal," the doctor said after examining the ultrasound results. He handed Blair a bottle of maternity vitamins and a few pamphlets to take home with her. "But you should really try and find a doctor in your village. Young mothers often have complications in childbirth."

"Thank-you doctor," Blair said as they made their way to leave the drop in clinic.

Chuck took her hand and brought it to his lips. After this visit to the doctor, the reality of their pregnancy had overwhelmed him. They really were going to have a baby!

They stopped in a department store and Blair purchased a few things she thought they'd need for the child including some more thread, some more material, and a snuggy.

Chuck added a tiny white teddy bear with sparkling black eyes and a big blue satin ribbon around his neck, to their purchases. He paid for the items and put his arm around his girlfriend as they made their way to catch the bus that would take them home again.

Later that evening after Blair served up their supper, Chuck decided they needed to have a serious discussion. "We have to figure out a way you can get a doctor in town," he said. "Just in case there are complications."

"There won't be any complications, Chuck. We'll manage," she reassured him.

"But what happens when I have to take you to the hospital when your time comes? They'll want to know who your doctor is and what your health card number is?"

"Don't worry about it," she said as she began to butter up a slice of bread. "I'm planning on having the baby right here."

"Excuse me?" Chuck spat, almost choking on his dinner. "What did you just say?"

Blair giggled. "I've been reading about home births from the books we got at the library. They're actually quite popular."

Chuck felt the color drain from his face. "You can't be serious!"

She looked up at him and frowned after seeing the expression on his face. "Yes, I am. Women have been having babies on their own since the beginning of time. We'll be fine."

"Blair, my mother died in childbirth having me," he disclosed sadly.

Blair looked at him in sorrow. She hadn't been aware of that. "How horrible!" she cried. "Oh, Chuck, I'm so sorry. But I am not your mother. And she died even though she was in a hospital, right?"

He nodded, still in disbelief at her intentions.

She reached across the table and took his hands in hers. "We can learn about what to do so that we're ready for it. And we'll manage, just like we are with everything else."

He frowned and looked down at his stew. Maybe she was right. Despite the best hospital care that Bart Bass could afford, his dear wife had died while birthing their son anyways. "I'm just worried. What if…, what if something goes wrong?"

"It won't," she said and she squeezed his hands. "I know we can do this,"

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

For the next couple of months they settled into a different kind of routine. Chuck's work on the docks slowed and then stopped and he started working Blair's shifts at the store. He also decided to apply for home schooling like Blair did so that he would have something to do on the days when he didn't work and during the long winter evenings. He wanted to eventually finish high school and maybe even go to college, but wasn't sure just how they'd manage that after the baby arrived!

Blair used her additional time at home to get ahead in her lessons and make clothes for them and their baby. She had been taught to sew at an early age from her talented mother, but now spent time learning how to knit and crochet as well. She was soon turning out mittens, toques and scarves for them and had knit some bonnets, booties, blankets and a couple of sweaters for their child.

During the evenings they would both do homework for a while and then curl up in their chairs in front of the fireplace together and read until bedtime. They made love every evening, savoring their time together, used ATV that Bill had sold to him. The thing was of no use to the old man any longer, and he let Chuck have it for next to nothing.

Chuck was thrilled with it. Not only was it really fun to bomb around the dunes in, but it was also a vehicle that would get them around during the long and snowy winter when bikes were no longer an option. And because Chuck wouldn't need a license to drive the thing, he was safe from being questioned by the cops.

Everything seemed to be going well for the couple. They now had a vehicle (of sorts). They were well stocked with more than enough food to last them the winter. They had just about everything they needed for their baby. And they were deeply in love. Life seemed to be about perfect in their little cottage.

For the most part, Chuck and Blair stayed out of town and away from the town's people. Except for the few people they saw in the store, and for the few men that Chuck met out on the docks, they had no real friends. But as the winter dragged on, and Blair's pregnancy progressed, they ventured into town a little more often from time to time, and would sometimes even go to a tiny neighboring village where they sometimes go to church. Chuck had never really been religious, but church had been something Blair's family had often done together and he wanted to support her.

One Sunday evening as they lay together in post-coital bliss, Blair made a comment that startled Chuck. "You realize people are going to assume we're married," she said.

He looked at her in confusion. "What makes you say that?" he asked. "We're too young."

"There were a couple of couples our age at that church service today. And with me so obviously pregnant, they'll likely assume we're married."

"I never thought about that. I guess this is a fairly traditional community we're in, isn't it?"

Blair nodded her head. "It is."

"Well, maybe we should, then," he suggested impishly.

Blair sat up and looked at him. "Maybe we should what? Get married?"

Chuck sat up and grinned. "Why not? We love each other, don't we? And you're carrying my baby! Why shouldn't we get married too?"

"Because we're not old enough, Chuck! You have to be eighteen to get married, even in Canada!"

"I'm pretty sure they make exceptions, Blair," he said as he patted her firm, round tummy. "And this is getting to be one pretty big exception."

She looked at him and grinned. "You really want to marry me?" she asked in disbelief.

He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled into her neck. "I love you. Of course I want to marry you." In fact he could never remember wanting anything more.

She squeezed him back. "We could ask the priest next week after Sunday service," she suggested.

"We'll pick out rings this week," he added. "Although they'll likely be pricey. We can't really afford nice ones."

She pulled back and looked at him. "I don't need anything expensive to prove I love you and am your wife. It's the act itself that seals the marriage, not the jewelry. But if you're worried about it, I do have my parents' wedding rings. I didn't know what to do with them. And these ones actually were expensive. I'm sure we could get them sized to fit us in town."

Chuck frowned. "It's more traditional for the man to buy the rings," he argued.

"Well, we're not doing much the traditional way now, are we Chuck?"

He grinned. "That's true."

"So it's settled?"

"Yes, it's settled," he agreed. "If the priest agrees to perform the ceremony, we'll get married next Sunday after church."

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

"The law states you must be over the age of eighteen to marry under normal conditions," the priest stated as he frowned at Blair's belly. "But I can make an exception in certain circumstances." He pointed to her stomach. "You've been living together as a couple?" he asked.

They both nodded.

"Since the spring," Chuck replied.

The man sighed. This generation had even fewer values than the previous one before it! "Before I can perform the ceremony, you must become a member of the church," the priest stated to Chuck.

Chuck frowned. He'd never really been big on church or religion in general.

"He means you'll need to be baptized, Chuck" Blair explained.

The priest nodded.

Chuck shrugged his shoulders and nodded back. "Well I've attended church more in the last couple of months than I have since I was born," he admitted smugly. "I may as well."

Chuck followed the priest into another area where the man took him through the baptismal ritual.

Blair sat back and watched, trying hard not to laugh at the confusing look on her fiancé's face.

When the baptism was complete, the two followed the priest up to the pulpit at the front of the church and knelt where they were told.

After a few minutes of repeating vows and a few prayers, they slid the weddings rings on each other's fingers and finished the ceremony. They were officially man and wife.

The priest signed the documents with them, cementing their commitment and they hurried home together officially as man and wife.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

**A/N:** Ok, I realize a few of you are likely groaning again over this. And yes, they kind of did this as well in the movie, but they copied the motions during someone else's wedding while the priest did the ceremony. But, for how I intend on ending this, I deliberately made it official.

And a month with Gossip Girl… and the promo shows a very unsatisfied Blair! HAHAHA! No doubt… after Chuck, who else could compare? Anyways, let me know what you think about the chapter and about the bad Dair sex.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 **

As Christmas approached, Blair's belly became larger and Chuck could lie for hours next to his wife feeling the baby move under his hands. The once delicate flutters were now firm and deliberate kicks that could make peanuts jump off of Blair's stomach and onto the bed.

"I think we should exchange hand made gifts or just buy something for the baby," Blair suggested, as they lay curled up together on their bed. "I already have everything I want right here."

"I guess that would make the most sense," Chuck replied as he placed another peanut just over her naval. When the baby booted it, Chuck laughed again and kissed her belly. "He's going to be a soccer star," he joked.

"As long as it's healthy, I don't care what he or she aspires to become," Blair replied as she ran her fingers through Chuck's wavy hair.

He sighed and wrapped his arms around her as he laid his head on her tummy, thinking about the Christmases of his past. Last Christmas Chuck had been in New York. They didn't even bother to put up a tree in the Bass penthouse last year. There had been no point; there weren't going to be any presents to open under it, and no one would be there to celebrate the holidays with anyways. Bart had simply written his son a check like he did every year and informed him he was going out of town on business until mid January.

Chuck sighed thinking how different this one was to be. He and Blair had little money to use for the holidays, but he couldn't help feeling richer, nonetheless. There was a small but beautifully decorated tree next to the fireplace in the living room this year. He and Blair had walked across the property until they'd found one that looked perfect. They had decorated it with the decorations stored out in the garage that Blair's family had used the few times they'd come north to spend the holiday in their cottage, many years ago. The small house was decorated with garland and ivy and there was a dish of brightly colored candies next to a crèche on the mantle of their fireplace. There were bowls of nuts on the table between the chairs they liked to lounge in and a heaping of wood stacked next to the fireplace to warm them during the cool evenings. It felt more like Christmas in this tiny cottage, than it had ever felt for him in his entire life. This was the only thing he really wanted and he could never ask for anything better.

"I'm almost finished the crib," he said as he looked up into her eyes. "But it was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Your father must have been very talented to make the furniture that he did."

"It was something he liked to do to ease his mind," Blair said as she fondly remembered her dad. "Especially the time we were here after he lost his business."

Chuck nodded, appreciating how the complexity of the task often focused his thoughts away from any other concerns he might be having as well. He looked up and saw the tears that had gathered in Blair's eyes as she reminisced. Christmases had been hard on her ever since her father had died. And this was her first year without her mother, too. He sat up and gathered her up in his arms. "I know this is going to be hard for you," he acknowledged as he held her tight.

"I just miss them so much," she cried into his shoulder. "I…., I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you here with me right now," she admitted. "Christmas would be unbearable."

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else," he told her as he kissed the side of her head.

"Don't you miss your family?" she asked a moment later when her tears had dried. She hadn't broached the subject of his family yet and neither had talked about it at all, all fall.

He shook his head. "You're my family now," he replied as he nuzzled his head down into the soft curve of her neck. He felt the baby kick again against the arm that was wrapped around her stomach. "Well you, me and this little soccer player inside of you, that is."

Blair giggled. "I love you so much," she said as she raised her neck to encourage his kisses along it.

He didn't disappoint her as his mouth made its way along the silky skin towards her ear. "I love you too," he whispered.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

That Christmas Eve, Chuck carefully made his way down the snowy back country roads on their ATV to take Blair to Midnight mass. He had wanted to call them a cab, but she'd refused, saying as long as he wasn't gunning it, the ride would be fine for her. They needed to save their money.

After church they made their way home and Chuck brought the finished crib in from the workshop in the garage to place in the little bedroom, now turned nursery. Blair added the mattress they'd recently bought for it and put the hand-made sheets and blankets on. When it was completed they both stood back, admiring the job they'd done.

"It's perfect," Blair cried in happiness.

Chuck nodded, thinking of all the love they'd put into making the little bed for their child. "It really is," he agreed as he clasped his wife's hand tightly.

They made their way back into the living room and sat before the tree to exchange their meager gifts with each other.

Chuck unwrapped a heavy wool sweater that Blair had spent weeks knitting for him. It would be a good one to take with him on the cold spring mornings on the fishing boats. "I love it," Chuck said as he pulled it over his head and down to his hips. He'd wanted something a little more substantial than cotton to wear under his coat on cold days. "This will keep me warm for sure!" He pulled his wife into a hug and kissed the side of her neck.

In exchange, Chuck had made Blair a beautiful little box from hand, with the name, 'Blair Bass' on it. I'll put all my keep sakes in it," she told him as she admired his workmanship. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly.

They sipped cocoa and ate a bowl of popcorn after that, chatting on about nothing in particular until it was time for bed.

The next morning, Blair made the two of them a big breakfast and Chuck went out to bring the large turkey that Bill Armstrong had given them as a Christmas gift from the store. The thing was going to take Blair all day to cook! That afternoon they read and played board games and chatted until dinner was ready. They both ate until they were stuffed and found that by the time they were all finished cleaning up, they were both already ready for bed. It had been a simple and relaxing day, but was probably the best Christmas that Chuck had ever had in his life.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Bart swirled the amber liquid in his glass as he watched the lights twinkling on the oversized tree that nearly reached the top of the eighteen-foot ceiling in the living room. Eric and Serena were both out for the evening with friends and his wife was in the study, talking to her mother on the phone.

It had been the most festive Christmas he'd ever experienced in the penthouse, he thought glumly. He and Chuck had never really ever celebrated the holiday. He'd always cut the boy a check and gone off on business someplace that his son wasn't. It had been an easy way to get the painful holiday over with fast.

But when Bart had suggested to his new wife that they just give the kids money and leave town for a holiday, Lily had been appalled. Christmas, she told him, was a time when families were supposed to spend time together.

He leaned back against the fabric of the chesterfield and closed his eyes, realizing what a shitty childhood Chuck must really have had. Where was his son this Christmas, he thought sadly. And if he was alive, whom was he celebrating it with?

He'd have to get more aggressive with looking for the boy, he thought. Maybe expand his search a little, put up reward posters, or something. If Chuck was alive, he wanted him home. And if the boy was dead, he wanted to know for sure.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

For the next while Chuck enjoyed his time alone with his wife as their child continued to grow inside of her. They worked a little more at getting the nursery ready for the baby and spent time reading over the literature they had found on labor and delivery. They'd also ordered in a couple of videos to watch at the town's library on natural and home childbirth, which soon had Chuck in a panic.

"I don't know if I can do this," he confessed after watching one of the gruesome films. "It looks too complicated!" As well as scary, he thought.

Blair giggled. "But I'm going to be the one doing all the work. You just have to be there to catch it and tie and cut the cord."

Chuck closed his eyes and shook his head. "I think you should have the baby in a hospital."

She covered his hand with hers and squeezed it slightly until he looked up at her. "I'm going to be fine, Chuck," she reassured him.

But he wasn't convinced. The film had talked about possible complications that could arise in delivery and all he could think about was his mother dying while he was being born.

"I can't lose you," he said sadly.

Blair stood up and wrapped him in her arms. "I'm not going anywhere," she promised him.

As her time approached, Chuck became more and more nervous for the event to happen. Money was really tight for them, but he bought a couple of inexpensive pay as you go cell phones for them anyways so that Blair could phone him if her labor began when he was away from her.

He'd managed to pick up some extra work helping out a relative of Bill's by doing some minor renovations on his property, in a neighboring community. He'd been reluctant to take on the shifts until Blair suggested the cell phones, reminding him that they really needed the money.

It was on a warm morning in early spring when Chuck was away helping drywall the man's basement, when Blair's water broke. She'd been hanging their laundry out on the line in the warm spring sun when a surprisingly strong contraction hit, followed by the gush of warm fluid from between her legs.

"Oh shit!" she groaned as she cupped her hand around her abdomen and doubled over in pain.

She quickly hung the rest of the wash out and then went into the house to change and shower. Another contraction hit in the shower, but this one was weaker than the first, so it didn't really concern her. On average labor takes about twelve hours, she remembered from all of the reading they'd done in preparation for the event. And with the first baby, it often takes longer.

She made herself relax and continued on with her chores for the rest of the morning, not wanting to stress herself over the upcoming birth. Chuck wasn't due home until suppertime, somewhere between six and seven that evening. She didn't want to call him away from his job. She was sure she'd be fine as long as she stayed busy, until he got home. Besides, he'd only likely worry if he were there anyways.

She set about cleaning the vegetables and chopping up the meat for the stew she'd planned on making for their dinner, but put it in a crock-pot to cook on slow instead of making it on the stove.

She got out her homework and completed a unit in her chemistry class, analyzed a poem for English and did a little of her Social Studies until the labor pains began to get closer together and she was too uncomfortable to sit at their table any longer.

She went into the nursery and looked over their preparations for the baby. She laid out fresh diapers, nighties and swaddling blankets on the changing table they'd purchased, and readied the crib. She ran her hand over her belly, thinking that in a few short hours she'd be holding their child in her arms.

She readied the bed in their bedroom for the delivery, changing the sheets and setting a waterproof tarp down on top of it, and then covered it in another sheet. She laid a second tarp on the floor and cleared off the top of the dresser, on which she laid the sterile scissors and other supplies Chuck would need for the delivery. She left their book open next to everything else, where he'd need it too.

When her pains were coming every few minutes apart she began to get nervous and thought about calling Chuck. But he'll be home in a couple of hours, she thought as she changed into a clean nighty and climbed up on the bed in pain. She lay on her side and tried to remember her breathing techniques that supposedly helped through each contraction, praying Chuck would come home soon.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Chuck stopped at Bill's store on the way home from work to put a few more dollars of gas in the tank. There was a storm brewing in the cool evening air and a few flakes were already swirling around. He cursed out loud wishing the spring weather they'd been experiencing earlier that day would stay.

He headed inside to pick up a couple of loaves of bread and some milk like he'd promised his wife. After chatting to Bill for a few minutes he decided to head home before the weather got any worse. But it was already happening. He dropped the grocery items in the carrier at the back of the ATV and headed for home as the winds began whipping the snow around frantically. They were in for a blizzard!

He muttered a prayer of thanks for the ATV and for the fact they lived only a short distance down the road from Bill's store. He pulled into the garage and parked the machine, immediately worried when he saw a pile of laundry still on the floor from the morning and clothes half torn off the clothesline next to the house.

He grabbed an empty clothesbasket and quickly pulled the clothes off the line, dropping the works on top of the washing machine back in the garage. "Blair?" he called as he walked into the door of the cottage and finding the kitchen, fragrent with the scent of stew, empty.

When she didn't appear immediately he began to panic. He called again a second time. He wondered if she was out walking the dunes as she often did, and was now stranded somewhere in the blizzard. He felt his stomach churn and panic overwhelmed him. He began to put his coat back on and was determined to go and find her when he heard a cry of distress coming from their bedroom in the back of the cottage. Blair was in trouble!

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N:** Ok, I know the story is progressing fast, but it did in the movie too. I thought I'd stop it here in case you wanted to bolt before the birth. Are you prepared?

And what do you think about Season six only being 13 episodes long next year? Do you think they can or even will resurrect Chair by then? I sure friggen hope so, but I am not convinced! Anyways, please let me know what you think.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Blair," he cried as he flew into the bedroom. He blanched immediately when he saw that she was obviously in heavy labor.

She managed a weak smile and then began to puff as another heavy contraction wracked her body. "I think it's coming soon," she managed between breaths.

"How long have you been like this?" he asked as he sat next to her on the bed. "And why didn't you call me?"

She started puffing again as another contraction hit, this one making her cry out loud in pain.

"Fuck!" he swore. "I should call for an ambulance!"

"No don't, Chuck We can do this!" she said. "I feel the need to push. Please go and wash up and help me deliv…"

Another contraction hit and Blair moaned in pain. Chuck flew off the bed, stripping his shirt off as he headed to the bathroom. He scrubbed thoroughly and returned with a damp cloth to sponge her sweaty brow.

"Chuck I want to push," she cried as another wave overcame her and she cried again. "Sterilize the scissors and get ready."

Chuck swallowed hard as he went to the dresser and poured Dettol over the scissors and string to tie the cord. He got the towels ready to wrap the baby in. He went to the head of the bed and helped pull Blair up into more of a sitting position and helped her bend her knees to deliver. He was doing his best to keep from crying, but he was too emotional to keep the tears at bay for long.

He sat on the lower half of the bed just as Blair's body began to contort in pain again. "Push!" he encouraged as the tears began to fall and he began to count to ten, just like they suggested in the book.

Once the contraction stopped he took Blair's hand in his and raised it to his lips. "I love you," he cried through his tears.

Blair managed another weak grin and then started puffing again as another contraction came.

"Push, Blair, push!" he encouraged and once again started counting.

This continued for well over another hour. He could see the crown of the child's head pushing to come out, but little progress was happening as far as he was concerned. He was becoming worried.

"I…., I don't know what to do," he admitted to her sadly. "I think I should call for help."

"No, we can't! Not yet. Some women push for hours!" she cried weakly. "I'll try harder, Chuck. I know we can do this."

On the next contraction she gave it her all, screaming in agony as the head finally broke through. She nearly passed out from the pain.

"The head is out!" he cried in relief, raining kisses on her forehead. "A couple more like that and he'll be out!"

"I don't think I can," Blair cried as another wave of pain hit. But she began to puff again and then push for all she was worth once again, this time screaming in agony.

Chuck put his hands on the baby's head and he stared in disbelief as the shoulders dipped and then slid out of Blair. He helped ease the child out, crying again as he helped bring their child into the world.

"You did it!" he cried in relief as he held the baby up to her. "We have a girl, Blair! A beautiful baby girl!"

Blair began to sob as Chuck placed the child on her chest. She was covered in guck, but she was still the most beautiful thing Blair had ever seen in her life.

The baby looked at her mother with squinted eyes and squirmed, finally free of the tight pool she'd been living in for the last few months. She suddenly began to cry.

Chuck brought over a towel and the two of them began to wipe the baby off. She was still attached to the placenta, which hadn't been delivered yet.

"I love you, Chuck" Blair said as she looked at her husband with adoring eyes.

He leaned in to kiss her as another batch of tears threatened. He'd never been more in love than he was at this moment. "You've made me the happiest man on the planet," he confessed. "I love you so much."

As Blair's contractions continued he helped deliver the placenta and finally cut and tied their daughter's umbilical cord. He took the baby and bundled her up, placing her in the crib while he helped his wife get cleaned up.

When everything was done, he slipped the entire birthing mess up into a large trash bag and hauled it outside in the stormy night to the rubbish barrel where, with the help of some gasoline, he soon had it burning.

When he went back inside he found Blair beginning to nurse the child in an oversized chair by the fire. He quickly sat on the arm of the chair and watched in awe as his wife nourished their child with her body.

Once the baby had fed and Blair had washed and dressed her, they tucked her into the crib Chuck had made for her.

"You did great," he told Blair as he wrapped her in his arms. "I'm so proud of you!"

She looked at him and beamed. "You mean we did great. I couldn't have done that without you."

"You did most of it alone," he said. "You should have called me, Blair. I could have come home earlier."

"There would have been nothing for you to do except worry," she defended. "Besides, you got here in time. Everything went well."

He nodded, wrapping her up even tighter and trying not to imagine what would have happened if he'd been later and if things hadn't have gone so well. His heart nearly went out to his father who, despite having the best care in the world, had lost his wife while she was giving birth to him. He couldn't even fathom what the man must have gone through! He shuddered and kissed Blair's temple. "I think we should eat," he finally said when he heard her stomach growl.

They ate a quiet dinner and then Blair went to have a quick shower and get ready for bed. Chuck called the fellow who he was working for and told him he was taking time off to be with his wife and new daughter for a couple of days.

Blair woke and fed the baby once more before they went to bed that night. Later she lay in her husband's arms and gave a silent prayer of thanks that everything had gone well, not knowing that Chuck was doing the exact same thing as he held her.

They named her Charlotte Eleanor Bass, and she was the spitting image of her mother. For the first few weeks after the birth the family bonded and adjusted to the new routine. Blair would rise early and feed and change the baby and then would make breakfast for her and Chuck. Chuck would then get up to eat; spending time playing with Charlotte while Blair started their laundry and did other chores. By the time Chuck went to work, Charlotte needed another feeding and then went down for a nap. Blair used that time to complete chores and get some homework done.

On the days when Chuck was home, Blair would take advantage of another set of hands and she would try to catch up on her sleep, get ahead in her studies and work on various projects. Chuck would take the time to play with his daughter, work on his school assignments and work out in the garage on the highchair he was now making for the baby.

Within a couple of months they had settled well as a family and soon Chuck was back working at the pier. Blair began to work on their garden and would take long walks on the dunes with her daughter. The two of them had been at the cottage for just over a year and were both incredibly happy.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

The truck driver pulled the flyer off the bulletin board on the back wall of the diner by the phone, and read it again. He was sure it was the same kid he saw last year. They were offering a reward for information leading to his return. A big one! He left the diner and climbed into his truck, pulling out his cell phone immediately.

"I saw your kid," he spit excitedly into the phone after hearing the man's voice on the other end. "I read you're offering a reward for him. I saw him. Last year. I dropped him and some girl off over the border in Canada."

Bart was stunned on the receiving end of the call. It had been a year and he'd almost given up hope. He quickly took down the man's information and called his PI.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Chuck took off his apron and tossed it in the laundry bag as he headed to the bathroom to wash the scales and viscera off his hands and arms. He'd only been back awhile but the demands of the job were already toughening up his body again.

Like a bodybuilder after he'd forgone weights for a season, Chuck was feeling the pain as the lactic acid that had built up over the winter, tried to leave his body after the long and lazy months he'd had. He groaned as he climbed on his bike, pleased he'd told Bill he couldn't work for him at the store tonight. All he wanted was to get home, shower, maybe a message and his bed.

Blair lifted Charlotte high over her head and smiled as the baby giggled in delight at the game they were playing. "Daddy will be home soon," she told the child, smiling when she saw the baby's face light up at the familiar word.

She lay her back down on the blanket near the clothes line and quickly brought in the wash, laughing when she saw Charlotte try to get close to the grasshopper that had just bounced inches in front of her grasp.

They'd been out doors most of the day. Blair had been working in the garden trying to keep the weeds and insects at bay, the baby strapped securely to her chest in the snuggly. Chuck had tilled a larger patch of garden for her this year after she'd insisted she wanted to make all of Charlotte's baby food from what they grew. She'd also taken the baby with her while she fed the hens and gathered their eggs, loving how excited the child got when she saw the birds.

She picked up Charlotte and nestled her on her hip as she retrieved their laundry basket and headed inside. Blair dropped the basket on the table and went to change the baby who was beginning to get fussy. "You hungry, sweetheart?" she asked as put a clean diaper on her.

When the baby was clean, Blair settled into the overstuffed chair in the living room and began to nurse her, singing a little tune while the child fed. Charlotte finished feeding just as Chuck came through the door.

"How're my two girls?" he asked as he kicked his boots off and came into the kitchen.

Charlotte began to cry and raised her hands out for her daddy to take her.

But he just kissed her and blew a raspberry on her neck instead. "Sorry, but Daddy needs a shower before he can play with you, Pumpkin," he apologized as he headed into the bathroom.

"Daddy's stinky!" Bair said to the baby as she tried to sooth her. "He'll come and get you in a few minutes." She took the baby over to a blanket on the floor with several toys and put her down to play. "You play while mommy puts the laundry away."

By the time she was done her chore, Chuck was already finished his shower. He gave Blair a big hug and kiss and then rushed over to play with his daughter after tossing his towel and dirty clothes out into the laundry pile in the garage. "Hey, Bubba," he cooed as he lay down beside the child on the blanket and blew another raspberry on her neck again.

Blair smiled as she watched the two and she turned the vegetables on the stove on to boil. She removed the meat from the oven and poked at the potatoes, determining they needed to bake another 20 minutes or so to cook.

Chuck began to tell her about his morning on the boat and how this body hadn't hurt him like this since he first begun to work the docks a year ago. "I really need a message later if you wouldn't mind," he commented suggestively.

She finished setting the table and then joined her husband and daughter on the floor. Charlotte raised her arms and Blair picked the baby up to snuggle her. "After we get this one to bed," she replied as she leaned in and kissed Chuck.

After dinner she changed and nursed the baby again, then put her to bed for the night while Chuck tried to quickly finish up an assignment he had to submit for school. He wasn't sure how much more schoolwork he'd be able to do now that he was back to working all day. But he wanted to finish up the second set of courses he had begun just before Christmas before he had to quit. By the time Charlotte was asleep, he was ready to retire for the night with his wife.

**A/N: This next bit is rated M. Read at your own discretion.**

Blair straddled Chuck's butt while she worked out the tension in his shoulders and back. She giggled when he groaned and moaned under her administrations.

"You have magic in those fingers of yours," he praised as he quickly flipped over so that she was now straddling his front. He ran his fingers along her thighs and rested them where she joined his body.

"As do you," she giggled as he stroked her lightly. She leaned down and brushed her lips tenderly against his as he removed his hands from her core and slid them up her back. She deepened the kiss, sighing when she felt him harden instantly against her. She felt herself melt into his mouth as Chuck responded with a passion she hadn't experienced for a couple of months.

Chuck groaned in pleasure as she ground against him. He placed his hands on her hips and arched up into her, causing them both to shiver with anticipation. "It's been more than six weeks you know." He hinted.

Blair sat up and smiled at him. She ran her hand down to her thighs and took the hem of her nighty into her hands. "You don't say?" she replied as she whisked the garment up and over her head in one quick sweep and tossed it across the room.

"Hmm," he answered back as he ran his hands up to caress her full breasts. He sat up from under her and began to kiss her along the collarbone to her neck. He suddenly flipped them over, pinning Blair underneath him.

He leaned in and held her hands over her head while he peppered her with little kisses, finally honing in on her lips. He released her hands and began to make his way down her body smiling in earnest as she writhed beneath him in pleasure. He couldn't believe how quickly she came under his tongue, and he continued his assault on her with his mouth until she finally pulled him back up to her by his hair.

Blair sat up and took Chuck's pyjama bottoms off, firing them in a heap next to her nightgown. "Make love to me, Chuck," she pleaded as she curled into his body and began to stroke his iron hard but silky cock in her hand.

She ran her tongue across his bottom lip and he growled in response as he captured her lips in a passionate kiss. She wrapped a leg over him and shuffled closer yet until the head of his penis was grazing her.

He slid his hands around to her ass and pulled her in until she arched enough for him to penetrate her.

Blair whimpered is ecstasy as he slowly began to fill her. She raised her hands to his shoulders and groaned when he began to thrust, rubbing against her g-spot almost immediately. "Oh God, you feel so good," she purred into his ear.

"I can't believe how good you feel either," he admitted as he bit into her neck and tried to refrain from coming. But he was already so close and she felt so good it was nearly impossible.

"Are you close, baby?" she cooed as she arched a little more as she met him thrust by thrust. "I know I am."

"I want this to last," he admitted as he attempted to slow down.

But Blair would have none of it. It had been so long and she was right on the cusp and needed relief. She arched herself a little more and then slipped her hands down and began to caress and then gently squeeze his balls.

Chuck groaned as he felt his release coming on faster than he could control it. And when Blair finally began to shatter around him he lost it completely and exploded violently into her.

"Sorry but I couldn't wait any longer," she apologized seductively. She bit into his neck a little and then kissed the area softly afterwards. "You just felt so good."

He kissed her again and pulled her tighter against him. "You always feel good," he admitted as she tucked her head under his chin against his heart.

"I love you, Chuck Bass," she cooed as her eyes closed and she began to sleep.

"I love you more, Mrs. Bass," he sighed as he kissed the top of her hair. He looked at the clock and sighed. The alarm was set to go off in five short hours.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

As spring turned into summer and the days grew long and hot, things basically returned to a pattern similar to the previous year for the couple. Chuck continued to work the docks and was kept too busy to spend much time at the little store again. But he often stopped by after work to say a quick hello to Bill and would sometimes pick up groceries for them if need be.

Blair began to work part time at the store again, bringing Charlotte with her while she did her shift. Bill loved the child and lavished attention on her while Blair stocked shelves and cleaned up around the shop. They had named him the baby's Godfather and he had proudly accompanied Chuck and Blair to the church in the neighboring town where they'd been married, to see Charlotte christened the previous Sunday.

It was a couple of weeks after Blair started working again when a strange sedan pulled into the store just as it was closing and a man approached Bill.

"Have you seen this boy anywhere around town?" he asked as he flashed a dated picture of Chuck to Bill.

Bill looked at the picture of Chuck clad in his former school uniform, wearing a pink bow tie and with his hair slicked back and he chuckled. "Well, not wearing the likes of anything quite so fancy, but yes. That's Chuck."

"Can you tell me where I can find him?" the man asked excitedly.

"Well, I imagine he's home and asleep by now, but he often comes here on his way home from the docks. You could try back again tomorrow evening about half past six or so," he suggested.

The man nodded and shook Bill's hand. "Thank-you," he replied. "I'll be back then." He bade Bill a good night and then turned around to head for his car. Once inside he took out his cell and placed the call. "Bingo!" he said into the phone.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

The next morning Chuck finished his breakfast and picked up his daughter, who was now starting to sit on her own, up off the floor. "Daddy's got to go to work," he told the laughing baby as he kissed her cheek and blew a raspberry into her neck.

He set her back down and gathered his wife up into his arms, kissing her fiercely. "I love you," he said as he reluctantly let her go and picked up his lunch bag off the counter.

"Love you more," Blair called back as she watched him hop on his bike and begin to ride down the long road to the docks. She sighed and picked up their daughter. It was time for the baby's bath and she had a lot of chores to get done before Chuck came home that evening.

Chuck worked on the fishing trolley all morning and then worked in the warehouse that afternoon like he did just about every day. At the end of his shift he headed for home, stopping briefly at the store to say hello to Bill.

He parked his bike and was about to head inside when a police car pulled up in front of him. Two officers stepped out of the car and approached him.

"Charles Bass?" they asked.

Chuck blanched and stopped walking. "Yes," he replied hesitantly. "Is something wrong?"

One of the officers took him by the shoulder and escorted him into the police car. "You need to come with us."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N:** Now seriously, this is about where the movie ends! Can you believe it? It ends here! I just about crapped!

Now, if there is interest in me continuing it, I am willing to take this story further. Or I can leave it with its original ending, if you prefer. Let me know what you think.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"I've done nothing wrong!" Chuck yelled in protest as they dragged him inside the precinct. "I know my rights! You can't keep me here without just cause!"

He was escorted into a private room and was told to sit at a table. The officers left him and closed the door behind them. Fuck! Of all the days to not have brought a cell phone with him, today was the worst! He wracked his brains trying to think of any possible thing that he could have done wrong, but it eluded him. Since meeting Blair, he'd been the poster boy for good behavior!

His gut churned thinking about how worried Blair would be with him being late. It was already an hour past when he usually strolled into the kitchen. He only hoped they'd allow him a phone call so he could at least call and let her know he was alive and not lost at sea in a fishing accident (one of her greatest fears since he'd started back on the docks.)

About twenty minutes after locking him in the room, one of the officers came back inside and sat across from him.

"How long have you been in the country, Charles?" the man asked.

Chuck blanched and swallowed hard. Fuck! This was an immigration thing. He felt his world begin to immediately deteriorate. They knew he was in the country illegally. Now he couldn't possible call Blair. If she were caught, she'd be sent back and into foster care, as would their daughter.

"Awhile," he responded in as calm a manner as he could handle. "Why? Do you not welcome tourists in this country?"

The officer frowned at him. "We have a witness saying you were brought into Canada illegally more than a year ago. You had a female companion with you at the time, another American citizen. Where is she now?"

Chuck shrugged. "I met a girl before I came here and she came over with me, but I haven't seen her since," he lied.

The officer jotted some notes down on a paper in front of him and he frowned again. "As an American tourist, you're allowed in this country one day less than six months before you must return to the United States. As we have no record of your even entering this country at all, you are seen as an illegal alien here and will have to return to the United States immediately."

"Fine," Chuck replied. "Return me," He'd just turn around and find a way back over again, he thought bitterly.

"You've also been listed as a missing person in several States," the officer continued. "Your father has been looking for you all year."

"I find that hard to believe," Chuck spat back.

"He's in the next room waiting to bring you home."

Chuck's eyes went wide at that and he felt bile rise in his throat. "I refuse to go anywhere with him!" he answered.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice. You're in this country illegally and he has the legal papers stating his guardianship. We are releasing you into his custody."

"I'm over sixteen!" he shouted at the officer. "You can't do that!"

"I'm afraid, under the circumstances, we can. You have no choice, son. You are not a Canadian citizen and are in this country illegally!"

The policeman got up and left the room. A moment later he returned, accompanied with Bart and another very large man Chuck had never seen before.

"Charles!" his father said as he went over to his son excitedly. He frowned when he realized Chuck had no intentions of greeting him.

"You've signed all the documents?" the officer asked Bart.

"Yes, everything is set," Bart replied. "We'll leave the country immediately."

"Then you're free to go."

Bart thanked the officer and then nodded to the large man by his side. The large man went over to Chuck and took a firm hold of his elbow, lifting Chuck up and off the chair. He was obviously hired as a bodyguard of sorts, Chuck thought dismally as he was pulled along outside and put into a large black sedan. It would be a lot harder, if not impossible to get away from him now.

The man shoved Chuck in the back seat and climbed in next to him where Chuck was sandwhiched between his father and the big brute.

Chuck said nothing as they began the long journey back. He was trying his best to fight the tears that needed to fall as he worried about his wife and young daughter back home who were undoubtedly going to worry about him.

Bart cracked open the window next to him and scowled as he waved his hand in front of his face. "Good God, son," he commented. "What is that smell? It smells like you've been rolling around in dead fish!" He looked at Chuck for a response but only received an angry shake of his head as the boy stared at his lap instead. Bart frowned and turned to look straight ahead. It was going to be an incredibly long ride home, he thought. And he'd likely have to have the interior of his new car reupholstered after this. The kid absolutely reeked!

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

"But where could he be?" Blair asked Bill frantically as she jostled the crying baby up and down on her hip. "His bike's outside!"

"I swear he didn't come in the store," Bill replied anxiously. "And that bike wasn't there earlier, I'd have noticed it." Bill had missed the action of Chuck's being apprehended outside his store earlier. He'd been busy filling the order sheets that were due first thing in the morning for the supplier and simply hadn't noticed. "Maybe he met up with some fellows from work and went for a beer or something," he suggested.

Blair frowned. That wasn't like Chuck to do something like that. She was worried sick about her missing husband. "I don't think he'd do that," she said dejectedly. Chuck always comes home right after work. He didn't hang out with the men at the docks and he didn't drink any more either. "But…, but I have to get Charlotte home to bed. If Chuck shows up, please tell him to come home."

Bill nodded as he saw Blair to the door. "Don't you worry," the man said as he patted her on the back. "I'm sure he'll be along soon."

"I hope so," Blair answered as she turned her head to make the long walk back to their cottage.

She tucked Charlotte back into the snuggly and began to sing a little song to sooth the cranky child as she walked along in the cool evening air to their cottage. She tried not to dwell on Chuck's absence, thinking that perhaps Bill was right. Chuck was just likely out with some friends and would be home to them later.

But Chuck didn't return that night and Blair was so distraught by the next morning that she couldn't stand it. Only the waking cries of her young daughter could break through the mist in her head, forcing her back into reality.

Blair gathered the baby up and sat to nurse her as tears streamed down her face.

Charlotte reached up and touched the wetness on her mother's cheek, dislodging Blair's nipple from her mouth. She scrunched up her face and began to cry, scared over her mother's tears.

"Shhh, shhh," Blair soothed as she cradled the baby and quickly wiped her eyes. "It's ok. Mommy is just worried about your daddy, is all. You're ok." She faked a smile to the baby, stroked her hair off her face, and offered her breast again. Finally the baby settled and began to nurse once more.

When she'd done her morning chores and Charlotte was ready for a play, Blair headed out to the garden to work, plunking the child down with some toys on a blanket out of the sun.

The garden was beginning to come in nicely and Blair quickly weeded and watered everything. When that was done she gathered the eggs in the henhouse and took them into the kitchen to wash and package for Bill. She decided she needed to be busy and not dwell on Chuck. He had probably gone drinking with some guys from work and had been too intoxicated to come home, she thought sourly. She knew he'd been a drinker back in Manhattan, he'd told her that himself. Perhaps he'd decided he'd just needed a night off from being at home with all the responsibilities he'd found thrust upon him this last year.

But that thought made her begin to cry and her tears upset the baby again. She finally forced herself to stop and washed her face clean, hoping that, whatever it was, Chuck had gotten it all out of his system and would return home tonight as usual.

She loaded the baby into her snuggly and grabbed her gathering bag and a knife from the back porch before heading out on the property. She needed to gather some fiddleheads and other early spring greens for their dinner tonight.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

It was late morning when Chuck opened his eyes as the sedan stopped once again for gas.

"Do you want anything?" Bart asked his son before he got out of the car.

"To go home," Chuck answered bitterly.

"A couple more hours," Bart answered as he got up to leave the car. Despite the tone in Chuck's voice, he was pleased. At least the kid was speaking this morning and was looking forward to going home.

Chuck snarled. "I meant Nova Scotia!"

"That's not your home, son," Bart replied with a sigh. "I can't even fathom why you were there in the first place. You don't belong there. There's nothing for you to return to."

"You're wrong," Chuck grumbled. "It's exactly where I belong." My entire life is there, he thought bitterly.

Bart sighed. "Well if you need a bathroom break, you'd better take one now. This is the last stop before Manhattan," he commented as he left the car.

Chuck sighed and opened the door. He frowned when he realized the big oaf was planning on accompanying him to the toilet as well. After peeing, he and his bodyguard returned to the car. He dared not attempt to run knowing that the big guy would likely run him down and force him back. Besides, there was nowhere to run to at this point. He'd have to wait until they were back in the city where he could get some money and find a way back up north again.

Bart scrunched his nose up as he slid into the seat next to Chuck again. He passed both him and the bodyguard an egg/muffin breakfast thingy and a coffee, and they proceeded back to the Interstate.

Chuck ate because he was starving and hadn't eaten anything since noon the previous day. His thoughts went to his wife and he wondered how upset she was that he hadn't returned. He needed to contact her somehow and had to arrange for a way back to them. But then they'd have to move elsewhere, he thought bitterly. If Bart knew where he was, he'd just grab him again.

When the limo parked outside of the hotel, the bodyguard took Chuck firmly by the elbow and hauled him inside, up the elevator and into the penthouse next to Bart.

"See that he's showered and burn those clothes," his father commanded as he went to find Lily to let her know they were home. He was worried about Chuck and didn't trust that the boy would remain home for long. He'd have to contract with the agency to keep the man a bit longer until they knew Chuck would settle.

It disturbed him that his son had grown so attached to the Canadian coast as he had. There had to be something else up their to hold the boys interest. It was obvious to Bart that Chuck had been living like a savage up there. I mean, the kid was practically feral! He'd gown in height and had filled out considerably since the previous year. He knew that Chuck's build wasn't natural. The boy had always been slight. Muscles like his son had acquired only came from hard physical work. And from the smell of him it was obvious that Chuck had been working on a ship or close to the docks. He hadn't smelt anything that pungent since he'd been in Vietnam in some of the outlying villages, during the war!

He whipped out his cell phone and put another call into his PI. Perhaps the detective could find out what the allure was up there for Chuck and dispose of it immediately. He couldn't risk his son disappearing like that again.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N:** So, Chuck is home and Blair is alone. In the sequel to the movie, he doesn't see her for another four years! Imagine! I won't be that cruel, but it will be awhile before the two are reunited. Thoughts?

And, is anyone watching Con Heir tomorrow night? I think the only good thing about it is that she'll find out what a dud Dan is in between the sheets! At least that will be good for a laugh!


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Blair collapsed on the bed with tears streaming down her face. She didn't know what to do. It had now been a week! Early that morning she'd driven her bike down to the docks with Charlotte strapped in her snuggly, but no one had seen Chuck all week! She'd contemplated calling the police to report him missing, but was afraid they'd find out they were living in the country illegally and turn them all in. She checked with the pastor at the church in the neighboring village and with Bill, but nobody had seen him anywhere. Finally when the tears had dried out, she had to face the facts. Chuck had abandoned them.

The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She would have to get herself together and come up with a plan for her and Charlotte to survive. The few hours she worked at the store each week would barely feed them. There was still a little money they'd saved from Chuck's work on the docks, but not enough to last them for very much longer; not with a growing child to cloth and feed. She had to think of other methods to provide for them on what little they had left and find a way to make a little more.

She knew she could catch and freeze fish and can veggies and fruit from the property. But she needed cash. She dug out the latest copy she could find and began to scour through the ads of last week's town newspaper. She found an add she'd seen earlier that a tailor had posted looking for part time support in his busy little shop and enquired about maybe doing some mending for him from her home. The man hadn't had any other interest and she got an interview in town for tomorrow.

But the trip into town would be beneficial in other ways for her too. She could look around and see if Chuck was anywhere to be seen and she could also hit a thrift store to look for used baby clothes that would fit her growing daughter.

She checked the deep freeze out in the garage and shook her head at the little that remained of their stockpile of food from the previous winter. She had to get ahead again immediately or they'd starve next winter.

Blair slipped the baby monitor into her pocket and went into the back porch to secure her fishing rod and the lobster traps. She crossed the road to the beach and waded out to drop in the traps before sitting on the end of the cottage's small boat dock, to fish. She hauled in a couple before Charlotte woke from her nap.

She went inside to nurse the child and then returned once again to the boat dock where she lay Charlotte out on her blanket with some toys, with a small umbrella beside her to shield the child's delicate skin from the heat of the afternoon sun.

After she caught another couple of fish the baby was getting cranky and Blair packed her up and returned to the cottage. She put the fish into the utility sink in the garage, then went into the henhouse to look for more eggs. There were another three since that morning. Blair decided to gather them and placed them all under one chicken to let her hatch them. They were going to need meat for next winter too. Although she hated the thought of killing them, she knew she'd have to do it if her and Charlotte were going to survive. If she collected more for hatching over the next few days, they'd have plenty of chicks in a few weeks that would soon grow to be fat hens that she could butcher in the fall. She momentarily considered buying a couple of piglets to raise and butcher. One would feed the two of them through the winter, and she could sell the other for a profit! But she decided against the idea. She really had no idea how to kill a pig or how to process the meat after one had been slaughtered. Besides, killing chickens was bad enough; pigs would undoubtedly be an even bigger and gory mess!

The thought of her and Charlotte alone during the cold winter months ahead of them broke her heart all once more. She began to sob again and her tears, in turn, soon had the baby crying too. She decided to take the child for a long walk on the property to gather extra greens to process, before she checked the lobster traps, cleaned and froze the fish, cooked their dinner and then finally bathed and tuck them both into their beds for another long and lonely night.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

"So what did you do for the last year?" Serena asked her brooding stepbrother as she tried to engage him in a conversation. "How did you survive?"

Chuck set the book that he'd chosen from the Bass library, down on the table in front of him. He had remained under house arrest all week and had withdrawn completely into his room for most of the time. In fact this was the first time he had come out on his own without being dragged by a bodyguard. He raised an eyebrow and looked at his stepsister, wishing the airhead would just leave him alone. He'd only come in here in the first place to read and think and because the beautiful bank of windows was overlooking the green park below. It was a much better atmosphere to think in than the four walls of his room was.

Both Serena and her younger brother had tried to befriend Chuck all week, but he just wasn't interested in getting to know them. He hadn't spoken to anyone at all, despite the constant interrogation when he was forced to be in their presence. He was still too afraid of what might happen to Blair and Charlotte if he said too much. But he knew he had to say something soon. He either had to slip away from the bodyguards that Bart had hired to watch the penthouse doors, (which he'd been trying to do all week), or fess up and tell Bart that he was a grandfather and risk Blair and Charlotte being placed in care. Bottom of the line, he had to somehow get out of there and get back to Blair and the baby soon. He just wanted to go back to his family! His wife was likely sick with worry over him, and the thought of her distress totally tortured him!

Serena wasn't honestly expecting a response from him and she startled when he finally cleared his throat to speak.

"I worked the docks, fishing and gutting fish," he replied honestly. "And then I worked part time in a little general store during the winter to make enough money to buy food and whatever."

She looked at him in wonder. She'd known Chuck somewhat in school before their parents had married and he'd run off, and knew how defiant and spoiled he was. But the Chuck in front of her now had a self-assurance and manner about him that was new and different from the old Chuck. He seemed more mature. He had filled out physically as well and looked more grown up than any of her peers did. Maybe he has changed, she thought. "It must have been hard work," she commented. "But where did you live up there?"

He smiled a sad little smile and looked down at his hands as he thought of the cottage Blair had brought him to and shared with him over the last year. Together they had worked hard to make the place into a real family home. Blair had cooked and made clothes for him there. They had conceived Charlotte there and she had been born on their bed. "In a little cottage on the shore of the ocean."

She noticed he seemed sad. "We go to the Hamptons every summer to my grandmother's house," she commented, hoping to cheer him up a little. "It's spectacular! Mom says we're all going there in a few weeks when school's over. I'm sure you'll like it there even better."

Chuck had been to the Hamptons as a boy and could admit that it was fun for the parties and whatever other social life one could ever want. But that wasn't his thing any more. He shook his head adamantly. "It's not the same thing."

"Sure it is," she argued defensively. "Just with a nicer house." She looked at him and frowned noticing he still had on that God-awful sweater that he'd refused to part with ever since they'd brought him back. Although it had been washed several times, it still seemed to retain the same fishy smell no matter what the laundry service tried on it. In fact, She could smell it now. "Besides," she added as she wrinkled her nose up in disgust. "You won't have to work with any of those smelly fish ever again."

He felt his blood pressure rise as he realized she was looking distastefully at his sweater and felt like he'd been slapped in the face. His face fell immediately. Blair had knit that sweater for him last Christmas and he loved it, no matter what it smelled like now. He'd warn it all spring on the docks and it had kept him warm in the frigid morning air at sea. It smelled like the ocean and his job and home, despite how many times they'd tried to launder it. Besides, it was the only thing he had from the home he'd been torn away from and he wouldn't give it up!

She thought for a moment that it looked like Chuck was either going to explode or cry. She wasn't sure which, and preferred neither from him at all.

"Not even close," he returned bitterly. He was upset and knew he had to get out of there now before he lost it completely with her. He stood and picked up his book to leave the library and return to his room, dismissing her completely.

Serena cocked her head and frowned again as she realized he was dismissing her. How dare he! "Come on, Chuck!" she sneered back. "You grew up on the Upper East Side for God's sake! What more could you possibly ever get up there, than what we can offer you here?"

Her words stopped him cold. He turned around and his eyes were like daggers as he glared at her. "How about my wife and child!" he finally spat; throwing the book he'd been reading through the bank of windows before storming out of the room.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Bart frowned and ended the call from his PI. He walked over to his liquor cabinet and removed a bottle of scotch and poured himself a double. He shot it back in one gulp. This wasn't good! Chuck had been working the docks to help support some woman and her kid, he thought miserably.

He sighed wondering where the flirtatious boy from the previous year had gone. Chuck had never had a girlfriend before, always preferring whores to get his needs met, just like his father used to do. He shook his head in disgust. If he was hooked on some skanky piece of tail it would be even harder to make him stay. He knew Chuck planned to bolt the first opportunity possible.

He played Mike's words over again in his head. They'd been illegally squatting in some ramshackle cottage on a piece of farmland that was for sale. Living like paupers! Playing house! He shook his head in disgust and sneered. Well she'd be gone from there soon enough, he thought with amusement. The little tramp was about to be evicted! And with her out of the picture, his son could finally settle and get on with the life he was meant to lead!

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N: **A quick update, but smaller chapter. I'm going to be busy this week and wanted something to get out. It's going to be rough for a bit longer, so please bear with me and don't be too abusive. Please let me know what you think.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Blair rolled over and stretched in her bed. She lay somewhat confused, listening to the sound of a dull tapping sound that seemed to be coming from the front of the cottage. When she heard it continue she got out of bed and slid on her housecoat to go and decided to investigate. She slipped on a pair of flip-flops and ducked her head outside.

There stood a short little man hammering a large sign on her front lawn. She went to ask him what he was doing.

"Pardon me," she said, interrupting his work. "Can you please tell me what you're doing to my property?"

The man turned around and looked at Blair in annoyance. "I'm afraid you're solely mistaken, Miss. This is not your property."

Blair scowled. "This cottage belongs to my family. My parents bought it years ago."

"Well that may very well be," the man said as he placed a final couple of blows on the sign he was hammering into the yard. "But the taxes weren't paid for several years and it belongs to the government now. Or rather it did," he corrected. "Until it was sold to a private buyer a couple of days ago."

Blair felt her throat tighten. "What do you mean it's been sold?" she asked. She'd known the property had been up for sale but wasn't aware of the government's back taxes policy. She'd always assumed that if it sold, she would be in one to benefit from the sale. "But my daughter and I live here! It's our home!"

The man straightened up and scratched his head. He looked at the young woman standing in front of him and his heart went out to her. She looked even younger than his adolescent daughter at home did. "I'm sorry miss," he apologized. "But this place has been sold. I've been given an order to evict whoever is squatting on the property immediately. You'll have to leave the premises within 48 hours before the police escort you off." He sighed and turned his back, not wanting to see the pain that was registered in the young woman's face. He quickly climbed into his car and left.

Blair was in shock. They were losing their home! What was she supposed to do? Just where were her and Charlotte supposed to go now?

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Lily looked at her daughter as though the girl was retarded. "Surely you must have heard wrong!" she exclaimed in disbelief.

"I swear that's what he said mom," Serena replied. "He distinctively said 'my wife and child.'" At first she hadn't been sure what to do with what Chuck had yelled at her several days ago. She highly doubted that he had been sincere. He'd only been out of the city for a year! He'd only been 16! And at his age, there was no way in hell he could have become married and a father in that short of period of time! Or could he? She'd wanted to discuss the matter further with her stepbrother, but Chuck had refused to talk to her anymore. In fact, the boy wouldn't even come out of his room these days. Serena had also struggled with going to her mother with the information, but was afraid of what Bart's reaction might be. Finally she just decided to talk to her mom, anyways; if anything, just to see what the woman thought about Chuck's comment.

Lily closed her eyes and covered them with her hand. She couldn't believe what Serena was telling her. She'd heard Bart ranting about the girl that Chuck had supposedly been shacked up with up north. He'd even mentioned that the girl had had a child. Could the child possibly be Chuck's? She doubted it. But maybe her stepson had more of a connection to the girl and her child than they'd been willing to consider before. And if so, this would surely complicate the already volatile situation, even further. She sighed. Now she'd have to go to Bart with this information and knew he'd likely blow a gasket. She could feel a headache coming on. "Let me deal with this," she finally told her daughter as she fled the room in search of wine. She'd need several glasses of the stuff before her husband returned from the office for the evening if they were to have the conversation.

Chuck slipped past his stepsister's room and ducked into Eric's. He heard the shower running and quickly stepped inside the bathroom to grab Eric's pants. He slipped his hand into the pocket and found the cell phone he'd been looking for. He tossed the pants back on the floor and headed back to his room to place the call.

Chuck locked himself in the bathroom and hastily dialed the number. He almost cried when her heard her voice answer, and then swore when he recognized that it was her voice mail. "Blair, I'm sorry I haven't been able to call you," he began as tears began to fall anyway. "My father had me found and apprehended. I was forced to leave the country and come back to New York and haven't been able to contact you until now. I'm trying to find a way back to you and Charlotte, but he has me watched 24/7. At this point I can't get away. Please don't think I've left you. I love you both so much…" he had to stop for a moment as the tears were now falling fast and he didn't want to sob into the phone. He swallowed hard and forced himself to continue. "I…., I'll come and get you both as soon as I can get away. I promise. Please don't give up on us, Blair. I miss you guys so much." And with that he ended the call, praying that she'd check her messages soon. He wiped his eyes and slipped back into Eric's room, tossing the cell phone back on the younger boy's bed.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Blair tucked the last of the blankets into Charlotte's crib and set the teddy her father had bought for her in the corner. She looked around the small room and sighed. Thank God for Bill, she thought sadly.

The older man had offered up his spare room in the tiny apartment over the store and had helped her move her things. Blair had packed their few belongings and disassembled the crib, refusing to leave it behind. Besides her bike, their food, and the ATV, she'd brought nothing else with them. There simply wasn't room for anything else.

It had been a brutal couple of days! The chickens had been sold within a day. The farmer who had initially sold them to Chuck and Blair had bought them back at a fraction of the price. Once they were gone, she'd watered the garden well and took one last look around her home as Bill secured the items in the back of the truck.

She'd run her hands lovingly over the furniture her father had lovingly built for them. She'd lay down on the bed that her parents had once slept in, the same one that she had made love with her husband in and then had given birth to their daughter in. She'd stared at the tiny bedroom she'd occupied as a child, the same one her daughter had slept in since birth, only a few short months ago. She'd caressed the tops of each stack of books in the living room that they'd read and discussed, and had sat once again at the table where they'd shared meals and where she and Chuck had done homework. It had been their home. Her sanctuary, their salvation. And it had been taken away, just like her parents and husband had been.

She was bawling by the time she locked the door and slipped the key into a small empty flowerpot in the garden. She said a final goodbye to the last piece of her family before getting in the truck with Bill.

Bill shook his head and gritted his teeth. It wasn't right, he thought bitterly. It just wasn't right.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Bart was past livid. He had sat drumming his fingers onto the end table as he waited for his wife to bring him his son. The kid had a lot of explaining to do!

Chuck entered his father's study and sat across his desk from him. He stared at the man in disgust, not knowing how similar the looks were on both of their faces.

"I'll leave you two to talk," Lily said, only more than happy to not be in on the discussion. She quickly went to find herself another bottle of wine.

"I have to say that I'm not impressed, Charles," Bart began coldly. "You've been hiding out in your room for days now."

Chuck frowned and shrugged his shoulders. "What did you expect after dragging me here against my will and keeping me under house arrest?"

"I expect you to remember who you are!" Bart snapped loudly.

"And who the hell do you think I am?" Chuck replied sarcastically.

"For a start, you are my son!"

Chuck laughed bitterly. "Since when am I your son?" he spat back. "You've never seen me as anything more than the thing that killed your wife!"

Bart looked at him in shock. "I've never…."

Chuck lost it. "Look at me and tell me you don't blame me for my mother's death!" he demanded. "My entire life I've never been anything more to you more than an embarrassment and a burden!"

Bart shook his head and looked at his lap. He sighed. "I never meant for you to feel that way."

"Well I did. And then when I finally have a life of my own worth living, you tear me away from it and force me back into this."

"You can hardly call gutting fish and squatting in some little shack with a whore living?" Bart snapped.

Chuck glared at his father with daggers. "Blair is not some whore!" he growled in defense.

"Then what was she to you, Charles? What was she besides some cheap little tramp who conned you into feeding her and her brat while you worked your ass off on the docks?"

"She's my fucking wife, you son of a bitch!" he blurted as he jumped off his chair and unsuccessfully lunged at his father across the desk. "And she's the mother of my child! And I didn't mind working so hard to support them. It's what a husband and father is supposed to do!"

Bart shoved Chuck back into the chair he'd been sitting in. Lily had told him about Chuck telling Serena that he was married. He didn't believe it. His son was underage and immature! But Lily hadn't mentioned the kid was his. That complicated things! Chuck's words made the blood run from his face and run cold in his body. It didn't really surprise him that his son had impregnated a girl. He was surprised it hadn't happened before this. The boy had always been somewhat of a whore! But the rest shocked him Maybe there was some truth to what he was saying. "You're a father? And you married a fucking Canadian?" he finally snapped. "How could you be so stupid?"

Chuck got up to leave the room. "I'm old enough to live my own life," he challenged. "And I have a family I need to return to. I won't be held prisoner here any longer."

"Chuck, you can't do this!" Bart called as his angry son slammed the door behind him.

Chuck brushed past Lily and made his way up the stairs to his bedroom. He began placing a few items to take with him in his former school bag and opened up the locked box he kept under his bed. He removed his passport, a wad of cash, a spare bankcard and his credit card and placed them in his wallet. Fuck them! He didn't care what his father said. He was going home!

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N: **They say the truth shall set you free. We'll just have to see about that!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Your work is exquisite, Mrs. Bass," the tailor commented as he examined the detail in the sample Blair had handed over to him moments before. "I' must say I'm very impressed!"

Blair blushed and looked down at her lap. "Thank-you. My mother taught me everything I know."

"Well she certainly is an amazing seamstress," he continued.

"Yes, she was. She passed away only a year ago."

"Oh, I…, I'm so sorry to hear that," the man stumbled in embarrassment. He handed Blair back the work sample and scratched the side of his ear. "Are you sure you can't come in to the store to work? I know I can keep you busy. We take orders from all over the township. There's really no other place that provides the extensive services we can."

Blair shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. But I told you, I need to be at home for my child." She looked down at the sleeping baby in the snuggly and lovingly stroked the child's head. "I have to be there for her."

He frowned again and looked at Charlotte. "Well what about in the evening then? Could her father look after her? Could you possibly come in for me for a few hours at night?"

Blair swallowed hard and met the man's gaze. She shook her head again. "No, I'm sorry. Her father isn't available to help out at that time," she replied. "The best I can offer is to complete the work at my home. You'd have to drop off the garments and pick them up when they were completed, of course."

The tailor looked at her and sighed. "That's not how I like to do things," he admitted. "But I've had no other really skilled applicants apply for the position until now." He looked at her somewhat puzzled. "Tell me again why you haven't got a resume."

Blair blushed. "Well I've only really sewn for my mother before," she admitted. "And I work part time at Bill's store by the beach where I can bring my daughter with me. We have an arrangement. I can only work for cash under the table."

The man shook his head. "I don't know what it is about this place. It seems like nearly everyone only wants to work for cash while they collect the pogy or the welfare."

Blair blushed. "I assure you sir, that I am not on either pogy or welfare," she asserted. "I am only trying to support my daughter while I finish my education."

"I didn't mean to offend you," the fellow apologized. "But you'd be amazed at how many people will only work for cash around here!" He scowled again as a thought crossed his mind. "You realize if I pay cash, I can't pay you as much as if you were in the shop as a paid employee?"

"I wouldn't expect you to," Blair answered honestly. She passed out Bill's number to the man and wrote down Bill's address next to it. "If you're interested in hiring me, please let me know soon. I can start right away." And with that she turned and left the shop.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Several days later, Lily woke up to some loud noises and a man's voice cursing a blue streak. She quickly slipped on her robe and headed down the stairs to see what all the commotion was about. Once there she spotted Chuck being restrained by one of the bodyguards Bart had hired to prevent Chuck from leaving.

"I said let me go, you son of a bitch!" Chuck yelled again as he swung his feet trying to free himself. But his actions were in vain. The big brute was easily double Chuck's ,nd had no intention of letting the boy go.

A moment later Chuck noticed a set of painted toes close to his face. He looked up and saw Lily staring down at him. "You can't keep me here, Lily. I'm old enough to make my own choices!" he yelled

Lily leaned down and looked Chuck in the face. "I want you to stop fighting and come and talk with me about this," she sad in as calm a voice as she could muster.

"There's nothing to discuss," he managed before exerting himself once again. "I want to see my wife and child. You can't hold me here against my will any longer!"

"Maybe there's another way," Lily stated. "Stop struggling and come and talk to me, maybe together we can think of something." She turned around and headed into the library where she sat at the large table in the center of the room and asked a maid to bring in some tea while she waited for Chuck to settle down and come and speak to her.

A few minutes later he stopped struggling with the bodyguard and made his way into the library. He plunked down on a chair and lifted his sweater over his head to cool down.

Lily poured them tea while Chuck caught his breath. He scowled at her, doubting that she had been sincere about wanting to help.

"Now," Lily began as she blew into her cup to cool the tea. "I really want to understand what happened with you. Why don't you start by telling me about how this young woman and how you ended up in Canada with her, and we'll see where it goes from there?"

Chuck closed his eyes and sighed. He didn't want to say too much about Blair to Lily, knowing she'd likely share the information with his father. And Bart had a way of using information against people. But he began, if somewhat cautiously, about his cutting classes and getting into trouble in the city and then meeting Blair. But he soon found how easy it was to share his story with his stepmother, and it just seemed to flow from him after that.

He explained how Blair needed to get to her family cottage up north and how he had only intended on staying the summer with her and then return to Manhattan in the fall. He became emotional when he shared what a remarkable woman Blair was and how he'd fallen so deeply in love with her that he couldn't have possibly left her then as intended. He shared their wonder over the pregnancy and how he knew he could never leave her or his child alone without support. He explained how they'd settled and how he had learned to work hard to feed and clothe his family, and how they had struggled to raise their daughter alone. He laughed a little when he told her how he'd decided to finish his schooling because Blair had shared her love of education with him and he wanted to be a better person for her and Charlotte. He smiled when he acknowledged that he'd gotten better grades and earned more credits in less than a year, than he'd managed in the two previous ones at Saint Jude's. And finally he shared how scared he was to leave them alone with no news on what had happened to him.

At this point Chuck began to cry. "She'll think I've abandoned them," he sobbed. "That I don't love them any more."

Lily felt herself getting emotional drawn in and she stood up to envelope Chuck in a hug.

But her touch snapped him out of it and his body went rigid. He pushed his chair back and stood up, wiping his eyes. "I have to go back to them," he asserted as he looked past the library door to the large man that still barricaded his exit.

Lily frowned and reached her hand out to him. "Please sit," she said as she pulled him back towards the chair. He sat and sighed again. He just wanted to leave.

"Blair sounds like a wonderful young woman, Charles. Surely she'll understand when she finds out what's happened to you." She looked at him and noticed his doubt. "But what we need to do is convince your father that Blair is a better influence on you than not. HE believes he's protecting you! And you can't live in Canada without a visa or immigrant status, something you're not likely to get until you're educated and employable. Do you think Blair would be willing to come back to the city to live?"

Chuck looked at her as he thought about it. "She hates the city and has nobody here for her. But she might be willing to live back here with me." He looked at his stepmother. "She's my wife, Lily. Legally. We were married in a church by a minister and have a marriage certificate. I can't live without Blair and my daughter, who is also your and dad's granddaughter, by the way. I can't live without them, and I won't!"

Lily nodded her head. "I understand, Charles," she replied. If Chuck was indeed being honest about Blair, and if the girl was as smart and as dedicated as he portrayed her to be, then maybe she would could help stabilize the Chuck at home and help establish peace between him and Bart, something that has needed to happen, forever.

"I need to talk to your father about this," she exclaimed. "But I think he may be willing to work with you." She leaned forward and rested her hand over Chuck's. "You were gone for a long time without anyone knowing what happened to you. Your father's really only trying to be protective and look out for your best interests, Charles. He doesn't know the whole story, but he needs to. And he doesn't know that you're not the same rebellious boy that you were last year. Let me see if I can make him understand what you've told me, and then maybe we can get Blair and the baby back here where you can both finish your schooling and raise that child properly."

"We were raising the child properly!" Chuck bit defensively. "We had little money, but we had love, a home, food, and clothing."

"Of course you did," Lily answered apologetically. "But you are also the rightful heir of your father's company. And here you can give your family everything they'll ever need and more. It doesn't have to be that hard any more."

Chuck nodded. He knew Lily was right. They'd done amazingly well up north but every day had been an exhausting struggle just to put food on the table. If his father would release his trust fund and cooperate with him, they could do well in Manhattan.

Lily rose from her chair and suggested Chuck contact his correspondence school to get some records sent over. They would need all of the proof they could get to convince Bart that Chuck was a changed man and deserved the chance to prove it.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Blair swept the last of the crumbs out of the corner of the bakery section and went to retrieve her fussy child from the playpen behind the sales counter. She looked at the young man watching her from the counter and sighed in irritation. He was relentless.

Cradling the baby on her hip, she walked behind the counter and forced herself to smile at him as Charlotte played with a lock of her hair. Blair began to scan the few items in front of the man and placed them in a bag. "Will that be all?" she asked, as was customary.

"Err, no," he stumbled. "I'll…, I'll have a pack of Export A Kings, please," he added bashfully as he looked at his shoes as though there was something special about the smudged on top of the pseudo leather. When he'd gathered enough courage, he looked up again just as Blair was placing the cigarettes in the bag along side the other items. "And I'd like your phone number so as I kin ask you out," he muttered barely audible enough for Blair to hear.

Blair looked up at him and frowned slightly. She surely hoped he hadn't just said what she'd thought he had. "I beg your pardon?"

The man blushed again and struggled to maintain eye contact with her. "I said…, I said I'd really like your phone number so as I can ask you out….. Maybe next week sometime…., when you don't have to work."

Blair stood dumbfounded. She knew the young man was one of Chuck's work mates from the pier. She'd seen him various times throughout the year and had spoken to him occasionally in the store when he came in to buy cigarettes or whatever. But she'd noticed he'd been coming in a lot more often over the past couple of weeks and had tried to engage her in small talk more and more frequently.

"But I'm…., I'm married!" she finally responded, almost choking out the words. "You know my husband!"

He looked back down at his feet for a moment and then raised his eyes to catch hers again. "I know that he walked out on you," he said solemnly. "You and your little one."

Blair felt her face burn in shame and tears began to pool in her eyes. She wasn't sure how to reply to him. She felt abandoned enough without this guy reminding her that her husband had left them. "He's coming back for us," she whispered.

The man stared at her and shook his head quietly, not buying it. He gathered up his bag and turned away to head out the door. She was obviously not ready to accept it yet, he thought. But he'd give her time. She was a beautiful woman and if it took time to win her heart, then he could be a very patient man when the prize was worth it.

Blair felt tears begin to slip down her cheeks and she hugged her daughter tighter to her. Charlotte felt her mother's distress and began to cry again as well.

She wiped her eyes and tried to sooth the fussy baby, deciding Charlotte probably just needed her nap. She hung a little sign in the store's window saying she'd be back in fifteen minutes and locked up. She quickly headed to the back of the store and headed up the stairs to put Charlotte to bed. She needed a break too so asked Bill to take over for awhile.

Once she had the baby settled, Blair laid down on the little bed in her room and sobbed. She had told herself weeks ago that it was over and she needed to get on with her life. She looked over at the two cell phones laying dead on the dresser next to her bed. She hadn't bothered to pay their bill. Not only could she not afford it, but she also figured since Chuck hadn't taken his phone with him when he left and hadn't tried to call her after he'd disappeared, there wasn't really any point. It was just another luxury they could no longer afford. Besides, she thought as she wiped the now angry tears off of her face, they could and had been, getting along fine without him. She was working half time at the store, working as a seamstress at night and was keeping up with her schoolwork while caring for their baby and for Bill at the same time. She was strong and a survivor! She never cried at night for him anymore, she thought, refusing to acknowledge it was because she was far too exhausted to expend the energy. As far as she was concerned, she was over him.

So then why had the man's words upset her so much? The reaction and tears bothered her. And she had told the man that Chuck was coming back for them, when deep down she knew it wasn't true. He had left them with no word. He hadn't given any notice or warning that he was going, and he hadn't tried to call to tell her what was she'd obviously done wrong. He had just left them and gone. Now they were alone, and that realization shattered her heart all over again.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Bart stared in disbelief at the papers one at a time as he read the comments and assigned final marks from the correspondence school Chuck had worked with last year. He'd always known his son was bright, but the boy had never, ever applied himself like this in school. Well at least until last year, apparently! He knew the Canadian education system had high standards and the marks reflected the Chuck's effort and knowledge of the subjects he'd taken had been hard earned. Frankly, he was amazed! After all the bribes to Saint Jude's and all the tutors he hired over the years, Chuck had never done as well as he had while working and caring for a family. He shook his head in disbelief and looked up at the smug look on his wife's face. He sighed. "Well, what do you suggest we do now?"

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N:** My apologies for the late chapter. I'm losing my desire to write much again, and have had a crazy busy couple of weeks with report cards, parent teacher interviews, a funeral to go to out of town, yadda, yadda, yadda….

Anyways, please forgive the late update if you're even still interested in me continuing.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13. **

Blair wiped away tears as she aggressively pulled the weeds out of their garden. She had insisted on keeping the work up on the farm until whoever had purchased the placed, moved in. Perhaps they'd permit her to take some of the produce if she worked a deal with them, she hoped. Come winter, they would need the food.

But as she toiled she couldn't help but remember the words from the young man in the store the other day, "I know that he walked out on you," he'd stated. "You and your little one….."

It made no sense to her. She had thought they'd been happy. She realized Chuck came from money, but he'd told her it meant nothing to him. He'd sworn he was happier with her in their cottage, with the land and the sea to support them and their family, then he'd ever been in his penthouse. He'd promised her that he loved them and had told her that she and Charlotte meant everything to him. But then he'd left…. Without a word or a goodbye and she was once again left with nothing, including her home.

She sat down sobbing out loud amongst the peas and carrots in the rich dirt, and wrapped her arms around her knees as the emotions she'd been holding back for weeks finally erupted from deep within.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

The Bass jet touched down at the Halifax International Airport just before noon that morning. Chuck turned and scowled at his father once more; not believing the man trusted him so little as to have to accompany him on the trip up here.

"I think it would be a better idea for you to just book a hotel room," he mumbled for the fifth time that morning. "I need to talk to her, to explain what happened. I have no doubt she's going to upset that I just disappeared like that. Besides, there's no room for you in the cottage, and the accommodations in town aren't to your standard."

Bart sighed. "I doubt that she'll be at the cottage Chuck."

Chuck looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean? That's her home. Where else would she be?"

Bart looked at his lap as he confessed what he'd done to his son. "She didn't own that cottage, son. The bank did. It's been sold and she was forced out." He raised his eyes and witnessed the color immediately drain from his son's face.

"What did you do?" the boy finally snapped. "That was our home! It was the only thing she had left of her family! How could you do that to her? To your grandchild?"

Bart shook his head and scowled. "I didn't know that she was my granddaughter at the time. All I knew was that they were illegally squatting on a farm that was up for sale with some girl and a child. I wanted her to move on with her life and to discourage you from going back!"

"You made my wife and child homeless!" Chuck yelled as he felt hot tears begin to escape down his face. "They had nowhere else to go!"

"I'm sorry son, but I was trying to protect you," his father defended. "You didn't tell me she was your wife. You didn't tell me you had a child together. What was I supposed to think?"

"I didn't tell you because I knew I couldn't trust you! I thought that if I said nothing about them, you'd just leave them alone! But obviously I was wrong!"

Bart sighed and pinched the bridge between his nose. "I'm sure we'll find them easy enough. It's a small town. Someone will know where they went."

Chuck looked at his father and growled. "You better hope they're all right!" he seethed. If they weren't, he would make sure his father would never see him again!

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Blair burped the baby and strapped her into the snuggly on her chest to begin her way into town. She had promised her boss she'd come in to the shop today to do some personal fittings for a couple of special customers from a neighboring town, on the condition she bring her daughter along.

She had finished her weeding and watering the garden an hour earlier and had made her way back to the store knowing that Charlotte would be getting cranky and Bill had too much to do to watch the baby for much longer. She was grateful for the older man's help. Truth is, she didn't know what would have happened to them if it hadn't been for Bill. She shuddered at the thought.

Now as they made their way along the streets to the shop, she hugged her child closely in her snuggly, telling the baby stories about things she'd done as a child growing up in New York, in Boston and at the farm. She smiled as Charlotte babbled back at her the entire way.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

The town car pulled up to the little farm and Chuck felt his heart quicken and his throat grow tight. The 'SOLD' sign on the front lawn assaulted his eyes, as did the appearance of the lonely cottage. The curtains in its windows were drawn closed, keeping the light from dancing across the shiny hardwood floors inside. The clothesline, where she'd hung their laundry in the fresh morning air, hung limp and empty. The lobster traps, in which they'd caught many meals in, sat dry and empty and were stacked one on top of the other by the door of the porch. The only thing that showed that Blair had ever been there was the meticulously manicured yard and flourishing garden.

Chuck walked over to the door and knocked, although he knew it was pointless. He wiggled the doorknob, but found it locked.

"I told you we should stop in town and get the keys from the realtor," Bart grumbled.

Chuck ignored his father and begun to root around in the flowerbed between the pansies and violets. He grinned when he pulled out a small flowerpot and removed a key from it. He wiped it on his slacks and opened the door.

Chuck clicked on the lights and entered hesitantly. Somehow it just felt wrong to be here without her. He slowly made his way through the tiny house, fighting off the urge to cry as the memories flooded him. He finally sat on the bed in their room, and covered his face in his hands. He looked up a moment later when he sensed someone looking at him and saw his father looking uncomfortable while he stood in the doorway.

"I delivered our daughter on this very bed," he stated as he glared at Bart. "I can't believe you sent them away!"

"We'll find her, son," Bart promised and then changed the subject. "You know I grew up in a place not too different from this," he commented. "Well Jack and I did."

Chuck looked up at his dad in confusion.

Bart nodded. "We were fairly poor when I was younger. "We had little money and when my father left my mother, I had to go to work to support the family. It wasn't easy."

Chuck smiled and nodded. "But it was strangely satisfying, wasn't it?"

Bart frowned and shook his head. "Not when you don't have a choice. There were some months when we had almost nothing to eat at all."

"We always had enough," Chuck commented. "Between what we grew in the garden and what we caught in the sea. It didn't matter how much money we had, we always had enough to eat."

Bart nodded, still in awe over what his son had accomplished over the last year. He cleared his throat and put his hand on his hip. "Where do you suggest we start to look for your wife?"

Chuck headed for the car and hopped in, waiting for his father to follow. Once Bart had buckled himself into the driver's seat of the rental, Chuck turned to him. "There's only one person in town that I think might know. And if he doesn't, I don't know where else we can look."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Bill heard the tinkle of the bell as the door opened and the men stepped inside. He continued stacking the green beans on the shelf, sliding the other cans of peas and corn over to accommodate them.

When he didn't notice any further footsteps going around the store he sighed, suspecting the customers only wanted to buy cigarettes. "I'll be with you in just a moment," he said as he continued his task.

A moment later the older gentleman made his way from the back of the store to the counter in the front. He wiped his hands on his apron and looked up, startling immediately at seeing Chuck with another man by the till. "Chuck?"

"Bill!" Chuck said with a huge smile as he approached the man with his arms open, preparing to hug him. But his fell when he noticed Bill step back and frown at him.

"What do you want?" the older man asked sternly.

Chuck frowned at him, becoming upset with the man's cool response. " I'm here looking for Blair. Do you know where she's gone?"

Bill looked at him wearily. He'd been gone for months without a word to his wife, leaving her and their daughter alone without as much as a roof over their heads. He had grown fond of the girl and was feeling protective. "Why do you care?" he asked harshly.

Chuck's face fell and he looked at his father.

Bart cleared his throat and stepped forward, his hand outstretched. "I'm Bart Bass, Charles' father," he introduced himself.

Bill crossed his arms, refusing to shake the hand of anyone who was with Chuck. He really didn't care what the pompous man wanted. "What do you want," he repeated.

"I believe we owe you and explanation," Bart stated.

"No, You don't owe me anything," Bill growled. He looked at Chuck and scowled again. "You abandoned your wife and child who were forced out of their home and onto the streets. Men like you make me sick to my stomach," he snapped. "I'll ask you now to leave my store. You're not welcome here anymore!"

"But you don't understand," Chuck attempted. "It wasn't my fault! I didn't abandon them….."

"Save it! I was there! I saw it all!" Bill cried. "I watched as she was forced out of her family home with next to nothing. I watched her try to be strong for Charlotte when her world was falling apart. You destroyed her, Chuck! That beautiful, kind young woman. You destroyed her! And now she's gone. So now you need to go too. Save your excuses, they don't interest me in the least! And they can never justify what you did to them!"

Chuck lowered his head in shame and fought off guilty tears.

"My son didn't abandon her," Bart asserted as he stepped forward. "He was taken against his will back to the United States. He's been trying to get back to her every day since, but I wouldn't let him come."

Bill turned to look at Bart in disbelief. "Why would you do that to the boy? He has a wife and Child here!"

Bart shook his head. "I didn't know that at the time," he defended. "Chuck was a missing child. We'd been looking for him all year. When he was finally located here, we just acted. I didn't know about his family until recently."

"I'm so sorry," Chuck cried. "But I tried, Bill. I really did. And I love Blair. I would never abandon them, I swear!"

Bill sighed and raised his apron to wipe the sweat off of his forehead. He was unsure what to say.

"Please tell me you know where they are!" Chuck exclaimed.

Bill went behind the register and sat down on a little stool he had. Suddenly he felt like he was a hundred years old. After a moment he spoke. "I know where they are, but I need to know what your intentions are." He looked over at the men and scowled. He wouldn't give Chuck the opportunity to hurt her again.

"I want her to come home with me," he replied. "Her and Charlotte."

Bill looked up at Bart skeptically.

Bart nodded. "My son has shown that he is a responsible young man. If she wants, Blair and the child can come back with us."

"And what if she doesn't?"

Chuck shook his head and frowned. Maybe Blair was so hurt and angry that she wouldn't come back with him.

"Then I will hand over the title of the farm to her so she and the baby will have a home. I'll make sure they are supported until Charlotte is an adult or Blair remarries," Bart relayed.

Chuck looked at his father and frowned. "What do you mean until Charlotte is grown or Blair remarries? I'm her husband! I'm not leaving them alone here!"

"If Blair refuses, you'll have to come back without her. You can't sty up here! You aren't a Canadian citizen and are still just a boy!"

"But I love her! And she has no one else, there is no other family to help her."

"You're wrong, Chuck," Bill interjected. "Her and Charlotte have me. And if Blair stays here and agrees to it, I'm going to legally adopt her as my daughter. I'll make sure they're taken care of."

Chuck was stunned. He'd known that Blair would be hurt and upset over his disappearance, but the thought of her choosing to stay here without him was more than a little unsettling. Yet he knew how much she hated the city. Maybe she wouldn't come back with them at all, choosing to stay here to raise Charlotte instead. The thought made him nauseous. "Where is she?" he finally asked Bill again.

Bill didn't want to answer that, preferring to let Blair decide for herself if she wanted to see him or not. 'I can't answer that until I talk to Blair,' he said defiantly.

Bart looked at Chuck and scowled. "It's ok, son. If we need, we'll get a lawyer."

"I don't want a lawyer!" Chuck barked back at him. "I want to see my wife and daughter!"

It was at that moment that a weary Blair walked into the store with the sleeping baby strapped to her chest, her job finally finished for that day. She looked at the intimidating man in the expensive suit and then at Bill's stern face, not noticing Chuck at all. She immediately grew concerned. "Just what's going on?"

Chuck turned immediately on hearing her voice and Blair gasped in shock. "Chuck!"

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N:** Yup, sorry, but I am really going to leave you there. (Someone once said you should always leave them wanting more, so hopefully I have." Please let me know what you thought of the chapter.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**A/N: Wow, that was an excellent response on the last chapter. Thank you so much. And see how reviews motivate me to write quicker! I was so inspired I just had to do another chapter!**

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

"I don't want a lawyer!" Chuck barked back at his father. "I want to see my wife and daughter!"

It was at that moment that a weary Blair walked into the store with the sleeping baby strapped to her chest, her job finally finished for that day. She looked at the intimidating man in the expensive suit and then at Bill's stern face, not noticing Chuck at all. She immediately grew concerned. "Just what's going on?"

Chuck turned around after hearing her voice and Blair gasped in shock. "Chuck!"

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Chuck looked at his wife and immediately rushed over to her. He tried to wrap his arms around her, but Blair put her hands out to stop him from touching her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked coldly.

Chuck's face dropped and he stepped back. He had not been expecting such a cold reaction from the woman he loved. "I…., I've…., I've been trying to get back here to see you," he stumbled.

Blair felt her face flush and tears begin to pool in her eyes. She fought them off the best she could. She would not let him see her cry. "You…, you just left us!" she managed before she broke down in front of him. She felt numb. She turned around hastily and headed up to Bill's apartment above the store. She had to get away from everybody.

Chuck began to follow Blair up the stairs. He needed her to understand what had happened to him.

As Blair made her way into the kitchen of the tiny place, Chuck grabbed her by the arm. "You have to stop and listen to me," he insisted.

"Why would I listen to anything you might have to say to me?" she snapped through her tears as she tore his hand off of her. "You left us to fend for ourselves without as much as a goodbye. You abandoned me and our daughter!" She turned around and headed into the little room she shared with Charlotte.

"But it wasn't my fault!" he explained as he followed her.

Blair turned in the doorway and glared at him. "It's been weeks, Chuck! Weeks! And I haven't heard so much as a word from you. You have no idea what we've been going through! Our lives have been hell! If it weren't for Bill, Charlotte and I would be living on the street right now!"

She closed the door on him and turned the lock, shutting him out. She sat on her bed letting the tears pour down her face. She wrapped her arms around the sleeping baby who was nestled against her chest in her snuggly, and kissed the soft fluffy curls on her head. Thank God Charlotte was a heavy sleeper.

Chuck hit the door once and then made himself stop. He didn't want to scare Blair or their daughter. Instead, he leaned his head against the door. "I didn't abandon you! My father showed up and forced me to go home with him. I…, I tried to call you, but you didn't answer the phone. I left you a message….."

"I am homeless! I can't really afford the luxury of a cellphone now, can I?" she yelled.

Chuck bumped his head against the door and sighed. He hadn't thought about her having to cancel the phone service. "I'm sorry. Blair, please! But it wasn't my fault! You have to believe me! Please open the door so I can come in and talk to you. Don't turn your back on us. I love you!"

Blair shook her head and curled up on the bed, cradling their daughter in her arms. She was so humiliated and hurt that she didn't know what to do. She wanted to believe him. She really did! She wanted him to still love them, for them to be a family again, for them to go back to their home. But after what had happened, she couldn't dare risk trusting him again. She didn't think she could stand it, if it were to happen a second time. She was just too hurt and couldn't afford to be that vulnerable again.

Chuck finally sighed and turned to go back down to the store. He didn't know what else to do. He understood that she was hurt and needed time. He wouldn't force her to see him if she wasn't ready. He entered the store and glared at his father. "She won't even talk to me!" he snapped.

Bart sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. After living with Serena for the past year, he knew you couldn't force a teenaged girl to talk when she'd made up her mind not to. "Let her be. She needs time, son," he offered.

"This is entirely your fault!" Chuck accused. "I should have been here for them! You have no idea of what you've done! Or of the damage that you've caused!"

"Maybe we should just go, Charles. Give her some time to think…."

"No! I'm not leaving here without my wife and daughter! I belong here, not in some penthouse in New York!"

"Charles we've already discussed this…"

"You've discussed this, not me!" Chuck defended angrily. "You forced me back to the city and kept me away from my family against my will! Now my own wife won't even speak to me! You're just not getting it, dad! Blair is my wife! Her and our daughter are the only things I care about. Without them, I have nothing! So, no matter what you say, I will do anything I can to fix what you've done to destroy our relationship!"

Upstairs, Blair cocked her head as she listened to the two men arguing below in the store. She guessed the intimidating man in the expensive suit must be Chuck's father. So Bart Bass had really apprehended his son and taken him back to the city. If what Chuck was saying was true, then she couldn't hold him responsible for leaving them, could she? Maybe he hadn't abandoned them after all. Maybe he really did love her and Charlotte still. Maybe he wanted them to be a family again!

Slowly Blair got off the bed and unhooked the snuggly from her body. She gently lifted Charlotte up and out of the thing and carefully placed the sleeping baby in the crib. She covered their daughter up and kissed her softly on the temple. She wiped her own eyes and quietly made her way down the stairs. She needed to talk to Chuck.

Bart and Chuck were still fighting when she popped her head into the doorway of the store.

"You can't force this, Charles," the man shouted. "It's time to come home and we'll get a lawyer…"

"No! I said I'm not leaving here again without my family!" Chuck argued as tears came to his eyes at the thought of leaving them again. "And I told you, I don't want a lawyer! I want my wife!"

"Chuck?" Blair interrupted. "Can you come please upstairs and talk to me?" Blair asked with her eyes lowered, refusing to look at Bart. "Alone?" she added.

Chuck turned around and winced when he saw how weary his wife looked. "Of course," he replied as he turned to follow her back up the stairs into the apartment, relieved at needing to leave his father in the middle of their 'conversation'.

Bill glared at Bart and turned his back on the man as he made his way to the back of the store. He needed to finish completing his task of stalking the shelves that Chuck and Bart had interrupted. He left Bart standing uncomfortably alone in the front of the store by the cash register.

Bart scowled at the little man and looked at his watch. He had been hoping to be back in Halifax in a couple of hours, and home shortly after that. He had an important business meeting to attend the following day and really didn't want to spend any more time than was necessary in this hole of a place.

Blair sat at the kitchen table and lowered her head in her hands.

Chuck knelt in front of her and stroked her hair. "I really am sorry, Blair," he whispered to her. "My father somehow found out where I was. He grabbed me and forced me home. I tried to come back to you…., but he hired a fucking body guard to stop me from leaving!"

She raised her eyes and nodded at him. "I believe you." She reached over and touched his face, causing Chuck to close his eyes at her touch. "You have no idea how worried I was. Or how hurt."

"If it was even half as much as I was, I can," he admitted. He slowly reached out his arms and wrapped them around her, sighing in relief as he felt her melt against his chest. "I could never leave you and Charlotte," he said as he lowered his face into the soft curve of her neck. "Never."

"I missed you so much," she cried as she felt his mouth on her neck.

Chuck stood and pulled her up onto her feet, bringing her flush against his in a huge hug.

Blair wrapped her arms around his neck and held on to him as hard as she could. "I thought we'd never see you again," she cried.

"I'm so sorry," he soothed as he rocked her in his arms. "But now we have to figure out what we're going to do next."

"What do you mean?"

"My father won't let me stay here. Neither of us are Canadian citizens. He's insisting I come back home with him. He'll make trouble if I protest."

"You…, you're leaving again?" she cried in disbelief.

"Not just me, Blair; you and Charlotte too. You're my family. I want you to come home with me where we can live as a family. We can both finish school and can even go to college if we want. We can give Charlotte everything she'll ever need. We won't have to work so hard all the time just to survive!"

Blair put her head back on Chuck's chest and closed her eyes. It was too much, too fast. She hated the city. "I…, I don't know if I can go back there again," she whispered truthfully into his neck.

"Blair, we're a family. We need to stay together."

She nodded, knowing he was right. She loved him and didn't want to raise their daughter without her father. But the thought of going back to the city was frightening.

They held each other for a few more minutes, not saying anything else until the sound of someone clearing their throat from in the doorway behind them, interrupted them.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I thought I'd come up here and introduce myself to my, … my daughter-in-law," Bart managed.

Blair blushed and stepped back from Chuck's arms. She was suddenly hyper aware of how she must look to this man. Her face was swollen and blotchy from crying and her eyes were red and puffy. She was dressed in clothing that was cheap and unflattering and her hair was a disaster. She tried to smooth herself before she stepped ahead and held out her hand to Bart. "I'm Blair, Mr. Bass. It's nice…., it's nice to finally meet you," she said as pleasantly as she could muster given the circumstances. "Thank-you for bringing Chuck back."

Bart nodded and looked over at his son. He frowned when he noticed that Chuck too, had obviously been crying.

But his frown stopped when he heard the sound of a baby begin to babble in a room down the hall. "Is that my grand daughter?" he asked.

Blair smiled and nodded. "Yes, I should get her before she gets upset and cries," she commented. "Please excuse me."

While Blair went to get the baby, Bart looked at his son. "Well?"

Chuck frowned. "She's going to need time. This is overwhelming for her," he growled.

Bart sighed. "You know I don't have time for this…," he began.

Blair emerged from the room with the baby. She brought Charlotte down the hall towards the two men.

The baby saw the strange men in the kitchen and tucked her head into the curve of her mother's neck, playing shy. She didn't recognise her father who was dressed in a suit and tie, with his hair neat and slicked back off his head. He'd been gone too long.

"Charlotte, it's your daddy," Blair coaxed as she turned the baby around to face her father and Bart. "Look. It's daddy."

Charlotte raised her head and looked at Chuck who was now holding his arms out to her and smiling. Her eyes lit up with recognition and she began to squirm in Blair's arms. "Da!" she cried in excitement.

Chuck reached out and took his daughter, bringing her into a big hug. The baby nestled her head against his neck and grabbed onto his hair, not wanting to let him go.

"Daddy missed you so much," Chuck said as he caressed her back. It felt so good to hold her again that it brought a new batch of tears to his eyes. He struggled to control them knowing his father would disapprove.

"My Da," the baby cooed back.

Bart looked at the reunion of father and daughter and was at a loss of what to say. It was obvious that his son was sincerely committed to this woman and child, more so than what he had previously imagined.

When Charlotte had had enough cuddling she raised her head and looked at Bart. She grinned a big toothy grin at the man, liking the stripes on his tie. She reached out her hand in his direction and clasped her fist in the air. "See!" she said.

"I think she likes your tie," Blair giggled.

Chuck stepped over to his father and Charlotte opened her arms to Bart, wanting him to take her.

He hesitantly opened his arms to receive his granddaughter, but not quite sure what to do. Bart hadn't held a child in his arms since Chuck was a toddler, and even then he had only done so infrequently.

Charlotte ran her fingers along the striped pattern of Bart's tie and babbled to it, making Chuck and Blair both giggle at her antics. The baby looked up at her grandfather, waiting for a response from him.

Bart, who was totally out of his element, nodded and said. "Yes, that's my tie. It's nice, isn't it?"

Charlotte leaned in and kissed the tie, then looked up at Bart and touched the side of his face. She gave him another big, toothy grin.

"Charlotte, this is your grandfather, Grandpa Bart," Chuck explained to his daughter. "Can you say Grandpa?"

"Pa," the baby echoed and smiled again. Then she began to wriggle, wanting down to play and Bart was instantly freaked out as to what to do with the moving child.

Chuck laughed at his father's discomfort and he stepped in to take her from Bart. "Let's get you changed before I turn you loose, ok, Bubba?"

"Her stuff is on the dresser in the bedroom," Blair said as she watched him head down the hall to change the baby.

Bart looked at the young woman in front of him and his heart softened a little. She was looking at Chuck with such love and adoration that it sincerely touched him. He remembered a similar look towards him from a woman he once loved, years ago. He cleared his throat again. "I feel I need to explain that I wasn't initially aware of the nature of your relationship with my son, Blair. But now it's obvious that you both are committed to your union."

Blair looked at him. "I love him very much," she admitted.

Bart nodded. "I know this is overwhelming, but you need to know that you are welcome to come back with us if you want."

"I…, I'm not sure," Blair said. "I want to be with my husband so much, but I…,"

"I understand. It's a lot to think about," he concluded. He pinched the bridge of his nose again. "Listen, I appreciate whatever it was that you did to motivate my son this year. Charles has told us how he worked to support you and the baby and still managed to earn credits for high school. I can't tell you how wonderful I think that is. Admirable, actually.…. But you need to understand that Charles is the heir to both the family business and a large fortune. He needs to finish his education and prepare for it. It's his right. And I think with your support, he'll succeed beautifully."

"I'm sure that Chuck will be quite successful at whatever he chooses to do, Mr. Bass." Blair defended. "And I will support whatever it is that he decides." She sat back down on the chair at the table and shook her head. "But I need to think about this. And Chuck and I need to talk. I'm not prepared to just uproot my daughter without consideration. You understand that, right?"

"Of course I understand," Bart replied, feeling put on the spot. He was learning that Blair was obviously not a gold digger and was more than just a pretty face. She was independent and intelligent and knew how to handle a situation better than he'd have given her credit for. She could potentially make a great asset to the family.

A moment later, Chuck came out of the bedroom carrying the baby. He set Charlotte on the ground and watched her crawl at lightening speed across the floor and into the living room towards her basket of toys. "I can't believe how much she's grown since I last saw her," he commented sadly. "And she's really trying to talk!" He walked over to Blair and stood next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders affectionately.

Blair leaned in a little closer to him and rested her head against his arm. She smiled and looked at their daughter fondly. "Mom used to tell me I was an early talker too," she replied reminiscently. "But she's got a lot of you in there too. You should see the smirk she gets on her face when she's been naughty!"

Bart had to laugh at that. "That's a Bass trait, I'm afraid," he admitted proudly. "Chuck has it, I have it, and so does my brother. My mother used to tell me it comes from a long line of Basses, men mostly, but a few of the women on my father's side had it too. It means she has a devilish side to her."

Blair nodded. "Oh, I can see that already," she admitted.

Bart watched the child for a moment and then cleared his throat again. "I'm going to give you some time to get Blair used to the idea about coming back home with us," he offered to Chuck. "I need to get back to the city."

"Thanks," Chuck replied gratefully. "We'll stay back at the farm."

Bart nodded. "But you need to remember this is temporary. You need to work things with her, but you are coming home, Charles. Do I make myself clear?"

Chuck nodded and wrapped Blair tighter in his arms.

"And I want you to get a cell phone to keep in touch." He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He passed Chuck a credit card and looked at him sternly. "Call me in a few days, ok?"

"Thanks," Chuck replied.

Bart nodded and then looked at Blair. "You have a lovely daughter, Blair," he told her. "And I want you to remember you are welcome to come home with my son."

Blair nodded. "Thank-you, Mr. Bass."

Bart looked once again at Charlotte who had emptied all of the toys out of the basket and was now sitting in it herself, and he smiled once more. Then he turned around, opened the door to the stairwell, and headed back down the stairs.

Both Chuck and Blair stared at the door as he left. Chuck felt a massive wave of relief wash over him. He hugged Blair tighter and kissed her temple.

"Now what do we do?" she asked him.

He pulled the key to the cottage out of his pocket and placed it in Blair's hand. "We go home."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N: **So they're heading back to the farm…. What are your thoughts on them going back to the city?


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Bill pulled the remaining strap down on the tarp and fastened it to the truck, ensuring the remainder of Blair's belongings were secured before he hauled the reunited family back to the farm. He couldn't help but feel torn over Chuck's arrival. On the one hand he was happy that the young man had returned to look after his family, but on the other hand, he would miss Blair and Charlotte something fierce. While Chuck had been gone, they'd become the family he'd never had. "Chuck can come tomorrow afternoon after I lock up the store, to help load the hens," he said as he climbed into the driver's seat.

"Thanks, Bill," Chuck replied. "For everything. I appreciate you helping my family out while I was away."

"I think of them as my family too," Bill reminded him. He had been serious about adopting Blair as his daughter if she decided to stay. She was like a daughter to him.

Chuck nodded remembering the conversation all too well. And unless he could convince her otherwise, Blair might even decide to stay.

A few minutes later they were back at the farm and the men began unloading the baby's crib and the other few belongings into the small cottage. When they were done, Blair called Bill aside and she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "Thank you, so much," she said affectionately. " I don't know what we'd have done without you."

Bill took Blair by the shoulders and looked at her seriously. "You're like the daughter I never had, Blair. You and Charlotte are welcome at any time. And if you choose to stay here, I promise I'll help you get citizenship papers so you can stay as long as you like."

She hugged him again, overwhelmed at his kindness. "Thank you," she whispered again before she pulled away.

They watched the old man get back in the truck and head off to his store. Chuck wrapped an arm around Blair and she snuggled in closer to him.

Charlotte began to wriggle in her father's arms, indicating she wanted down. He lowered the child onto the soft grass and they watched her scoot over to the garden where a large pile of topsoil beckoned.

Chuck grinned and walked over to the little gate at the front of their yard. "I guess we'll need to keep this shut now," he commented. "She's pretty fast!"

"Wait until she discovers her feet!" Blair chuckled. "She'll be everywhere all at once!"

"I was like that," Chuck answered. "My father said my nannies used to call me 'Hell on Wheels!'"

"I believe it," Blair replied as she turned to hug her husband again. "Now that we're alone, can you explain why we're back in the cottage? I was told it had been sold."

Chuck winced and pulled away from her. "My father was the one who purchased the property. He thought we were squatting on it and he wanted to discourage my coming back and using it again."

"Even if it meant having us thrown out on the street?" Blair asked in horror.

Chuck grimaced and pulled her back into his arms. "In his eyes, you were just a deterrent of my returning home. I'm sorry!"

She nodded, tears filling up in her eyes. "I can't believe he can be so cruel."

Chuck frowned. "I think he's trying to change. He's letting me stay here with you, isn't he?"

"Only temporarily. But what happens if I don't want to move back there?"

"Then he'll force me home and we'll be apart until I turn of age," Chuck answered sadly.

Blair nodded. "It doesn't seem fair."

"He only wants what's best for me. And he believes that means I need to be in New York."

"And what do you think?" she asked hesitantly.

"I want to be with you and Charlotte," he answered firmly. "But I think we have the chance for a much better life if we go back."

"And live with them?"

"We wouldn't have to be there long, Blair. When I get my trust fund we can live wherever we want."

She nodded again and snuggled in closer to him, savouring the feel of being back in his arms. "It's a lot to think about," she finally replied.

They let the baby play outside in the dirt until she was sleepy. Then Chuck gave her a bath and read her a story while Blair fixed up her crib, their bed, unpacked their few belongings and put away the groceries she'd purchased for them to bring home. Finally she nursed Charlotte and then tucked the tired child in for the night.

"I'm exhausted," Blair confessed to Chuck as she flopped down in an oversized chair in front of the fire that he'd set earlier. She laid her head back and closed her eyes, feeling thankful to be back in her home again.

Chuck sat on the arm of her chair and leaned down to kiss the top of her head, making Blair smile and rest her head closer to him.

But Chuck had other ideas. He suddenly slipped off the arm of the chair, scooped her up and sat down on it himself, settling her back on his lap.

Blair snuggled in close to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head against his chest. "Much better," she admitted.

Chuck circled his arms around her and stroked the back of her head. "Mmmm," he agreed contentedly as he closed his eyes to savour the closeness.

They sat like that for another half hour until Chuck noticed Blair's breathing quiet and steady. She was asleep.

"Time for bed," he whispered as he scooped her up and carried her into their bedroom. He placed her down in the center of the bed and quickly undressed to climb in next to her. He covered them up with a quilt that Blair had placed at the foot of the bed earlier, and wrapped himself around her. Once his head was buried under her curls with his mouth against her warm skin of her neck, he fell asleep immediately, feeling at peace for the first time in weeks. As long as he was with her, anywhere was home.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

The next morning Blair woke up just as the dawn was breaking. She hurried out of bed to use the bathroom, wash up and brush her teeth. Then realising how early it still was and that Chuck was lying all naked and warm in their bed,, she grinned and crawled back in, curling up next to him. She knew Charlotte was a creature of habit and the baby would sleep for at least another hour.

Blair snuggled in close and ran her hand up the well-defined flank of her husband, resting it finally on his lower belly and causing him to waken and then harden immediately.

Chuck turned around and smiled at his wife, pleased that he was there with her and that there was still time that morning for them to play before breakfast. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her flush against him. "You're up early."

Blair leaned in and captured his lips in a soft kiss as she ran her hands down his back, resting them on his well-muscled bum. "I really missed you," she admitted as she began to place kisses down his jawline and onto his neck.

"God I missed you too," he answered as he ran his hands along the soft curves of her body. He pulled back a moment and then let his passion take over like he'd never have the opportunity again.

That morning their lovemaking was incredibly intense as they recommitted their love for each other. As they came in unison they both felt as though their souls had merged once again, as one.

Later that morning Chuck cut wood for the fire while Blair made them breakfast. She fried bacon and mixed ingredients together for muffins. She whipped eggs together for an omelette and grated some cheese. When her muffins were cooked and the omelette was ready, she called him in to eat.

Chuck washed up and sat down to a hot breakfast. He'd forgotten how good hard labour made even the simplest meal taste! "Best thing I've eaten in weeks," he complimented honestly.

"So what's the plan for the day?" he later asked as he helped clear the table.

"I have some alterations I need to make on a few pieces of clothing and I need to finish up a French assignment," Blair responded as she started to wash their dishes.

Chuck nodded. "I think I'll set out the lobster traps and then try to catch up on some schoolwork too," he decided. He had fallen behind in his coursework after being in New York and wanted to finish the classes he'd been taking before the cut off date, to earn his credits.

Blair set Charlotte down in the living room and they watched as she flew over on her knees to her toy basket. Immediately the baby began to empty its contents until she found a couple of items that interested her. She babbled as she played, keeping the adults entertained as they went about their work.

Later after lunch, and once Charlotte had had her nap, Chuck strapped the baby into the snuggly and he and Blair set off for a walk along the dunes. The sun was warm and the breeze gentle enough to keep them comfortable as they explored the shoreline together. They stopped frequently to let Charlotte look at interesting findings along the way: a starfish, a brightly coloured shell, a hole from where a clam would spray upwards when they walked too close.

When they came to an area where there some water was left in a depression after the tide had gone out, more like a big puddle really, they stopped and Chuck pulled their daughter out of the snuggly to let her explore it.

Charlotte cooed and babbled as she waded in on hands and knees and grabbed fistfuls of wet mud, looking in fascination as she watched the water run through her fingers, leaving her with nothing but balls of wet muck. She patted the balls back onto the shoreline and then shook her fingers trying for a way to get rid of the dirt. "Uck!" she said repeatedly as she failed to clean herself off.

"Put your hands in the water, honey," Blair suggested and made the motion of swishing her hands in water to the baby. "Wash your hands."

Charlotte complied as suggested; grinning when she saw the muck was gone after she did what Blair had indicated. But now that she'd learned something new, she repeatedly grabbed more handfuls of sand and then washed each off in the puddle, never seeming to tire of the game.

When she was finally bored, the baby crawled into the middle of the puddle and sat down, causing her father to chuckle and her mother to grimace. Charlotte began patting the water until the pats became larger splashes. When she splashed herself a little too enthusiastically and water sprayed her in the face, she gasped and blinked her eyes in shock, causing both of her parents to laugh. And then she became upset and began to cry.

"And so ends that game," Chuck chuckled as he picked her up and tucked her, all wet, back into the snuggly. Charlotte soon settled once they began walking again and she rested her face against the warm chest of her father. Before they knew it, she had dozed off again.

Chuck and Blair continued their walk down the beach, Chuck reaching out for Blair's hand and pulling her in closer to him.

"I really missed this," Blair commented as she squeezed his hand a little tighter.

Chuck squeezed hers back as well, but didn't say anything for a while. Finally he felt he could avoid the conversation no longer. "We need to talk about going back," he said softly as he turned his head to look at her.

"I know," she replied sadly. "But I just got you back. I'm not ready to share you with anyone other than Charlotte right now!"

"But you will be eventually?" he asked hopefully, thrilled that she hadn't said, 'ready to send you back.'

Blair stopped and looked at him. She took his other hand in hers and squeezed them both. "As much as I hate the thought of going back to that city, I hate the thought of being without you even more." The reminder of how heartbroken she'd been after he'd disappeared overwhelmed her. The thought of going through that again was unbearable! She felt a tear slip down her cheek. "I love you, Chuck. I don't want to live without you in my life. And I want Charlotte to know her father. I…., I just wish we had some more time to prepare for it."

Chuck pulled her into a hug as tight as he could manage without squashing the baby. His lips found hers and he kissed her almost desperately. "I don't want to be away from you either. I'll see if we can stay awhile," he suggested when he stopped for a breather. "Maybe Lily will be able to convince my dad."

Blair nodded and stepped out of his embrace. She took his hand in hers again and the two began the long walk back to the cottage

Later that day, Chuck had their cell phones reconnected and had gone back to Bill's to bring all their hens home. He ate the meal his wife had prepared for them and showered. After Charlotte had been put to bed for the night he sat down with his wife and prepared for the call that he knew he had to make.

He decided to call Lily directly, wanting to plant the idea of a prolonged visit in her ear first. As he had thought, the woman was receptive to him and Blair spending the majority of the summer at the cottage where they would have time to prepare for a return to the city and for Chuck to have the opportunity to finish another couple of courses. She assured Chuck she would relay the plan to his father and do whatever it was that she could to bring Bart around to the idea.

"I think your stepmother must be a strong woman," Blair commented after the phone call as she snuggled next to her husband on the couch.

"Why's that?"

"Because it's obvious from meeting him and from that phone call just how intimidating the man is," she replied honestly. "You look positively terrified."

Chuck nodded. "You have no idea….," he answered as he replayed Bart's possible reactions over and over again in his head.

It was likely that Bart would balk at the idea of his son up north again for another couple of months, he thought. The man would want to keep the boy close, although proximately had never been a priority when Chuck had been growing up. It was more a matter of control. And Bart hated the thought of giving it up, even where his son was concerned. And if it meant that Chuck would lose Blair because of a hasty move, the man wouldn't care less. As long as things went his way, Bart cared not for any consequences that his decisions might cause to others along the way. It had always been like that for him.

Yet Chuck had to admit that he'd witnessed the positive effect that Lily obviously had on the man. During his time back in the city, his father had been around the house more than he'd ever been in Chuck's life. So if anyone could smooth out the plan for him, it would be her.

"I'm sorry," Blair said as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"For what?"

"For making this so hard for you," she replied.

"You've done nothing to apologise for, Blair. I'm the one who's put you in this position. Well my family did, I guess."

"It's not your fault, Chuck. You can't help it that your father found us. And you've done what you can to make this work. Maybe your step mother will get us some time here. But as much as I love it here and want to stay, I only want to be with you! And as keeping our family together is the priority, then overall I don't care where we go."

Chuck slipped his arm around her back and gathered her in his arms. "I love you so much," he said as he leaned in for a kiss.

Blair reached up and stroked the edge of his face as Chuck's lips brushed hers ever so softly.

After Chuck removed his mouth from her, Blair stroked his face once more. "We'll be ok," she promised as she kissed him again, this time more passionately.

He lifted her up and settled her back down on his lap where she automatically fit over his now bulging crotch, making her hitch her breath.

"Chuuuck," Blair groaned in desire as she ground herself sinfully against him. She slid her hands down his chest, unbuttoning his shirt as she moved along and then began with his pants. She released him and began to stroke him, just how he liked it best, until he was moaning and sucking at her neck.

Chuck lifted her skirt and slid his hand along her panties, groaning even more when he felt them sopping wet under his fingers. He had them off of her in a second, not being able to stand to not touch her any longer.

Blair mewled as he began to work her until she was writhing beneath him in need. "I need you, Chuck," she cried, unable to take it any longer.

He raised her bum up and positioned her over top of his straining erection, taking a moment to tease her until neither of them could stand it any longer.

With her gripping onto his shoulders for all she was worth, Chuck finally let her go and Blair sank on him so quickly that his eyes rolled back in his head at the sensation.

"Fuck you feel so good," he growled against her neck as she began to ride him.

"Mmmmm," was all she could manage, being too caught up in what was happening to her body to form words.

With the way she was going, it didn't take long for Chuck to begin to peak. So he slipped his fingers down and began to caress her, quickly bringing Blair to the brink just as he began to shatter too.

Chuck eased them down onto the couch, with him still buried deep inside of her. They stared at each other for what seemed to be forever until Chuck began to fall asleep.

"Let's go to bed," Blair suggested softly.

He opened his eyes again and leaned in to kiss her. He slowly slid out of her and took her hand to accompany him. The two headed off to bed.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Two days later, Bart called Chuck's cell phone. "Your step mother told me that you have assured her you'll earn credits in two more classes if you remain there and work hard this summer," he challenged. "Is that correct."

"I'm almost finished the ones from last term and I'll get two more courses finished if I'm here," Chuck promised.

"Good. But I expect you to be at our Hamptons house for the last two weeks before school starts, Chuck. Is that clear?"

"Yes Sir," Chuck replied.

"And that's either with or without the girl," his father added.

"Blair's coming with me, Dad; both her and Charlotte will come to the Hamptons and then New York to be with me."

On the other end of the phone, Bart was pleased at hearing his response and nodded, knowing the girl was a good influence on his son. And after having his PI dig up the details of Blair and her family's earlier life, he knew she had the potential to go far with the right support. "How is my granddaughter, by the way?" he asked flatly, not wanting to show too much interest in the little girl who had captured his heart at Bill's apartment.

But his question made Chuck smile. "She's standing on her own and I swear she is determined to walk soon," he answered proudly. "You should see how angry she gets when she tries a step and falls over."

"I'm sure that little girl will get there soon enough," Bart replied. "And when she does, she'll wear you both right out."

"I have no doubts about that," Chuck chuckled into the phone.

"I need you to call me at least once a week to tell me of your progress," Bart informed him, wanting to change the subject. "And tell Blair I'm pleased she and Charlotte will be joining us in August."

"I will," Chuck replied back. "And Dad?"

"What?"

"Thank-you," he answered.

"Just do your work, Charles. Prove to me that you're the man you've insisted you've become. And call me next week, ok?"

"I will, Sir" Chuck answered and said goodbye before hanging up the phone.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

For the next two months, time seemed to fly for the young couple at the farm. Both adults kept busy while Charlotte focused on trying to walk. Blair continued to work part time at the shop for Bill, but relinquished her position with the tailor in town. With Chuck home, she needed to focus on more important thing than work, including keeping up with the garden and completing her course work as well. Chuck also worked diligently on his courses, determined to cram the eight week summer courses into six so that when they went to the Hamptons, the courses would be finished. He also watched their daughter while Bair was at work in the store.

One lazy Saturday nearing the end of their stay and when Blair had a day off work, Charlotte took her first independent steps.

"Oh my God, Chuck. Look at her!" Blair cried in amazement. "She's walking!"

Charlotte took another step and turned to grin at her parents. But the sudden change in her posture upset her balance and the baby fell down hard on her little bottom. Immediately she began to cry loudly, both in frustration and in pain.

"Oh, baby," Blair cried as she scooped up the disgruntled child and swung her around playfully in her arms. "What a big girl you are! You walked!"

Charlotte momentarily forgot about crying and instead giggled with glee at being spun around in by her mom, a game that had always been a favorite.

When Blair sensed the tears had stopped, she passed the baby over to her father, who also praised her. "She's growing up so fast," Chuck commented in awe.

Blair walked over to the two of them and kissed each affectionately on the cheek. "We all are," she acknowledged.

Chuck looked at his wife and nodded in understanding at her words. It was pretty amazing that in just a little over a year, he and Blair had grown up so much. They weren't children any longer, he thought. They had both matured and were now responsible with their own child to raise. And they were doing an amazing job! He hugged her to them and buried his face in the soft curve of Blair's neck. "I'm going to miss this," he acknowledged sadly.

"But we'll be together, Chuck," she replied back as she ran her hand up and over his back. "And that's what's most important."

Charlotte was getting fidgety thinking that she'd been cuddled long enough. She stiffened her entire body and threw her head back into her father's chest. "Down!" she demanded.

Her parents both laughed and Chuck finally released the head strong girl, and they watched as she crawled back over to her basket of toys, wanting to do nothing more than play for the rest of the afternoon.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Three days later the family closed up the cottage and they all flew back to the States in the Bass jet. From the airport they took a limo out to the Hamptons where they'd spend the remainder of the summer.

"I'm scared," Blair disclosed as the car pulled up in front of the overwhelming mansion.

Chuck wrapped an arm around her protectively and gently kissed her temple. "We're going to be ok," he reassured her as the vehicle came to a stop.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N: **So they're back on American turf and headed into a new way of life. I'm curious to what you thought about the finale for the season? … To be honest with you I almost put my foot through my TV when Chuck turned Blair down….I'm soooo glad she reproached him. But we really don't know if he'll take her back yet, do we? I for one will be mighty pissed if they aren't a real couple again in the fall! And ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, bye, bye Humphrey!


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"Chuck, grab her fast!" Blair screeched as the little monster scurried across the floor, straight for an expensive African statue that Lily had out on display in the corner of the living room.

"Come on, Bubba," Chuck sighed as he lifted his daughter up and away from the rich walnut wooden woman that she found fascinating, for what seemed like the hundredth time that morning.

"Raison!" Charlotte cried in despair as she grasped her hands out to the ebony woman.

Blair shook her head and took her wailing daughter out of her father's hands. "It's pretty, but not a toy, honey," Blair tried to explain once again.

"Raison!" the baby cried, calling the name she'd given the statue. She portrayed the thing to be a lovely doll that happened to be the same color as the raisons she loved to eat as a snack.

Bart walked into the living room and frowned upon hearing the cries of the disgruntled child.

"She fall down?" he asked Blair.

Blair shook her head. "No, she wants to play with that African statue in the corner, and isn't receptive to being told, 'no.'"

"Kids usually aren't at this age," he replied remembering how challenging his son had been as a toddler. "And some are like that their entire lives," he muttered and looked over at his son. "But I suppose we really should make this place more baby-friendly. It's just been so long since Lily or I had little ones around."

"If it's not too much trouble, that would be wonderful, thank-you," Blair replied, sincerely grateful for Bart's help.

Chuck looked at his father in question. The man seemed like an entirely different person towards Blair than what he had imagined. He was gentle, sociable and even respectful to her, all behaviors he never would have accredited his father with having before. It was almost unnerving.

In fact, Bart's support and help to them over the summer had been unbelievable. The man had helped to get Blair's passport organized and had even managed to obtain a legal birth certificate and passport for Charlotte. And although he was pissed that his grandchild was legally a Canadian citizen, he expected her to choose an American citizenship when she reached the age of eighteen. And if the girl wanted the trust fund he'd set up for her, he saw to it that she would indeed become American.

But Chuck suspected there was something else going on. He just didn't know what it was yet. But he intended to find out. He watched now at his dad took Charlotte by the hand and led her back over to 'Raison,' permitting the little girl to caress the satiny wood and babble on and on to the statue.

Serena came into the living room and looked over where all eyes seemed to be turned. She couldn't help but to grin at her niece's exploits. "She really is a darling, isn't she?"

Blair looked over at her sister in law and smiled. "Thank-you, Serena."

"Are you ready to come shopping, B?" the blond girl asked Blair.

"Are you sure you don't mind watching her?" Blair asked Chuck as she lay her hand lovingly across his knee.

Chuck looked over at Serena and sighed. It was only their second day away from the cottage and he was afraid Blair would become overwhelmed with a day at the shops. But she did need proper attire and he knew it was important she bond with his stepsister. He leaned over and kissed her openly, caring not that his father didn't appreciate public displays of affection. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, handing Blair a credit card. "You buy whatever it is you want, ok?"

Blair smiled adoringly at him, nodded, squeezed his knee once and took the card, pocketing it in her jeans. She stood up and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Thank-you"

Shaking her head, Serena headed out to the limo, followed by Blair. She couldn't believe the girl didn't own even one real purse! She was unsure of what to make of this girl who had kept her stepbrother away for a year and gotten pregnant with his child. At first she figured Blair was likely just a gold digger, Bart had implied that to them when he'd first found out that Chuck was shacked up with her, but her stepfather had seemed to ease off and was more welcoming of Blair and the baby than she'd expected.

But there was something about the tiny brunette that bothered Serena and she couldn't put her finger on it. It was driving her nuts. "Tell me how you and Chuck first met," she asked as the two rode in the limo back into the city.

"We met at the zoo," she replied. "I was spending the day outdoors and Chuck was cutting class. He saw me and thought he'd introduce himself to me."

"And you two hit it off, just like that? You became a couple?" The blond asked doubtfully. She had known Chuck for ever at school and he had never been one to have a girlfriend, preferring to bed whomever he could get to spread their legs for him instead, then never being with the same girl twice.

Blair shook her head and laughed. "No, we spent a little time together in the city and then when I told him I was heading to my parent's cottage in Canada, he insisted he come along. We weren't a couple for awhile after that," she replied, remembering the details fondly. "I really did try to persuade him to return home to his family, but he refused. And then after I got pregnant with Charlotte… "

"That's right, you lived here, didn't you," Serena recalled, wondering if they'd maybe met at some point or another during her earlier years in the city.

"Well then it had only been for a few weeks. I…., I had to return to New York to stay with my cousin after my mother passed away," she replied sadly. "But we'd lived there before when I was a little girl. I even started school in the city until daddy lost his business and we had to move."

Serena frowned, trying to figure something out. "I feel like I should know you, but I can't remember. Did you go to Constance Primary by any chance?"

"I did," Blair confirm=med and her face lit up. "Did you go there too?"

Serena nodded. "I'm not sure, but I think you were in my class one year. You had long curly hair that you often wore in braids. Your mom made dresses or something, right?"

"Waldorf Designs," Blair admitted with a smile. "She was quite wonderful in her day."

Serena felt her eyes well up. "I'm not sure if you remember me, but we were once friends. You had sleepovers at my house and even came to my birthday once. I…., I never knew what ever happened to you. One day you were just gone," she recalled sadly.

Blair nodded her head in recollection as she too fought off impending tears. "We had to leave quickly. I never really understood why," she recalled, filling in the details that Serena overlooked. "But daddy insisted we had to go immediately. I never had time to even pack my things or say goodbye to anyone. And mom had to give up her business too. We moved to Boston after that and things never seemed to get any better for our family. After daddy died, my mom did the best she could to try and raise me, but I think she missed my dad too much. She seemed to be sick all the time and then, a few years later, she just died…." Blair felt fat tears begin to fall down her cheeks and she turned her head, embarrassed to be crying in front of her sister-in-law.

Serena scooted over to Blair and embraced her. "It's ok. You are my missing friend, Blair. I knew there was something familiar about you! You have no idea how much I missed you!"

Blair nodded and smiled at Serena. "We were so young! I think I remember you a little too," she admitted. "I'm sorry I never got the chance to tell you I was leaving."

"It's not your fault.. But how amazing is it that you'd end up married to my stepbrother a few years later?"

"Yes, that is pretty amazing all right," she admitted as she hugged her friend back. "It really is."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Chuck fed Charlotte her lunch and then put the baby down for a nap in the room that he and Blair shared. Blair hadn't been comfortable putting the child in a room apart from them yet. She found the mansion to be too big and commented it would likely frighten the baby to be in a strange room without them.

Chuck flopped back on their bed, recalling the details of their arrival the day before. Lily had made sure the entire family was there to greet them and make them feel welcome. It was something so far out of character for Bart that he wouldn't have believed it had happened if he hadn't been there as a part of it, himself.

They'd been ushered inside the cool stonewalls and shown their bank of rooms at a formerly unused wing of the house. Lily had commented she thought they might appreciate some additional space where it was quieter that the rest of the mansion.

He had to smile as he remembered Blair's initial response to the place. Her entire cottage would have fit in the bedroom that they were sharing in the wing.

Later they'd had time to visit out by the pool and Chuck had taken Charlotte into the water for a swim while Serena and Eric made an effort to get to know Blair a little better. There was a large family meal after that and then it was time for everyone to settle down for the evening.

Serena had asked Chuck and Blair to come out to dance and party with the other summer families on the beach, but Blair hadn't been comfortable leaving the baby, although she suggested that Chuck should go if he wanted. But he had adamantly refused, not wanting to leave his wife and daughter alone on their first night in the city. Instead they had turned in early, much to the disbelief of the rest of the family, especially Bart. His father had assumed Chuck would have been up for a night of drinking and partying like he'd always been in the past. It made Chuck smirk to know that he proved his father wrong. Chuck was a new man, and he meant to keep it that way.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Blair giggled as she placed the floppy hat on the top of her head. "I don't think I have the face for this," she said as she looked over at Serena. "But you on the other hand, are gorgeous enough to wear anything!"

"Aw, thanks, B." Serena replied with a smile as she tried on a brightly colored one that made her look like the sun.

They continued through the shop until a high pitched squeal halted them both. Blair looked up from the rack they were checking through to see two pretty, sun-bronzed girls approaching them enthusiastically.

"I am so happy we ran into you!" one of them spewed to Serena, brushing past Blair. "We heard that Chuck is back and he's brought a girl home with him. Please tell us it's not true! He's always been such a man whore! I can't believe that he'd settle down at his age. He's just too yummy to take off the market already!"

Serena blanched and looked over at Blair nervously, noting her sister in law appeared a little agitated with the girls. She cleared her throat and reached for Blair's arm, pulling in front of the two girls. "Penelope and Iz, this is Blair, Chuck's wife," she introduced. "Blair, these are Penelope and Iz, two of our classmates."

Penelope turned ash-white, despite her glorious tan and Iz turned a bright red, impressive with her dark complexion.

"What do you mean, Chuck's WIFE?" Penelope shrieked, loud enough to earn disapproving looks from both sales women in the store.

Blair held her head up high and poke assertively to the girls. "Chuck and I were married last winter," she answered proudly. "So yes, I am his wife."

Penelope blanched even more, if that were possible and she looked up at Blair for the first time. She saw a petite and strikingly beautiful young woman with curves to die for.

Blair held her eye contact with Penelope until the girl dropped her eyes. She turned to face Iz and Iz just swallowed.

"But he's not even eighteen," she stated looking at Blair. "Surely no judge would permit…".

"We were married in a church and yes, it is legal," Blair challenged. "Chuck is my husband. We also have a child together."

The look from both girls mirrored their earlier one about the marriage.

Serena smirked and nodded. "She's a really cute baby and you should see what a good daddy Chuck is. It's actually quite amazing," she tried to convince them.

"Well that's…, that's nice," Iz managed skeptically.

Penelope sniffed smugly. "Well, it really doesn't surprise me at all that Chuck is a father. The way he was going, I'm surprised there aren't dozens of….."

"Um, we need to move along now," Serena interrupted before the girl concluded her sentence and Blair flipped out on her. She grabbed Blair by the arm and headed along to the checkout stand so they could pay for their purchases. She turned back and shot a dirty look at Penelope, who brazenly smirked back at her.

"It's ok, Serena," Blair said calmly. "I know about Chuck's past. He's really not like that anymore."

"There're going to be comments, Blair," she replied honestly. With their age and with Chuck's reputation, how could there possibly not be, she thought. But Serena's heart went out to her sister in law, who she was learning was actually a very intelligent and strong young woman. She would never have been able to imagine that Chuck could commit to anyone, let alone to someone with brains! But maybe she was wrong about her step brother. Maybe he really had grown up and could handle the responsibilities he was now saddled with. Maybe he really wasn't like he had been in the past. For Blair and Charlotte's well being, she hoped the Blair was right about Chuck.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

By the time the girls returned from their shopping spree in the city, it was late. Charlotte was cranky and Blair's boobs were a sore and leaky mess. "I need to nurse her," she excused herself as she carted the baby up to their room for some privacy.

"She still nurses the child?" Lily asked in disbelief, remembering what an inconvenience breastfeeding could be for even a few weeks after the baby was born.

"It's really best for the baby," Chuck informed his stepmother, as well as being a lot cheaper than formula, he thought with a grin. "And Blair seems to enjoy it as much as Charlotte does. It's good bonding time for them."

Lily nodded slightly, thinking how odd Blair seemed to her and wondering if Blair was going to really be able to fit in to their lifestyle. She seemed so different from the other moms in the Upper East Side that Lily knew and was shockingly young to already be married and have a child.

"I found out that Blair is my long lost little friend from primary school, today. Did you know that her mother was the owner of Waldorf Designs," Serena informed her mom.

"You pined away for that little girl for ages after she'd disappeared, if I recall correctly," Lily reminisced. "That was her?" Lily asked. "And I often wondered whatever happened to Eleanor Waldorf. The people that took over her company never seemed to do it justice after that."

Serena nodded and then a puzzled look spread across her face. "It still exists?" she asked, slightly shocked. She'd lived in the city most of her life and couldn't recall ever seeing the shop before, although she knew how dear a vintage Waldorf original was to buy.

"It stayed in Manhattan for a few years, but eventually dwindled down to nothing more than a boutique, really. I believe it relocated to New Jersey a few years ago," she replied.

"I wonder if Blair knows it still exists." she commented as she gathered up her bags, intending to head up to her room and put her new things away.

Chuck had been listening to their conversation. "I doubt it. I'm sure she would have wanted to go and see the shop when she lived here last year, had she known," he replied. "And Blair's an amazing designer and seamstress herself. She has a huge book of designs she's made and another one that was her mothers. She also made most of our clothes back at the cottage."

Both Lily and Serena looked flabbergasted.

"If Blair has her mother's book of Eleanor Original designs, it'll be worth a fortune!" his stepmother commented. "I am sure the company or a few others would love access to that book of work. And I know I'd love to buy another Eleanor original."

"Well I know Blair's pretty fond of it, so I doubt she'd want to give it up now," Chuck reasoned. However, had she know it's value a few weeks ago, Blair may have sold it off to help support her and the baby, he thought sadly. "I believe she also has some dresses that were her mother's, back at the cottage, in storage," he added.

It was about then that Bart entered the room, having just completed a telephone conference meeting in the library. "What's back at the cottage?" he asked.

Serena excused herself and headed upstairs and Chuck went to find his wife as Bart sat next to his wife.

"Blair's mother was Eleanor Waldorf of Waldorf Designs, if you can imagine," she informed her husband. "She also has a book of her mother's designs and a closet of her dresses back in Canada," she added. "She could likely get a fortune for them."

Bart nodded to his wife, feigning interest. He was more than well aware of Blair's family name and its past connections and of a lot of other details about them that were unknown to anyone, including Blair, for the moment. He was also well aware of the girl's wealth potential and of her value, adding the information of her mother's design book and vintage dresses on top of it. But for the moment he wasn't in a position to let any of his knowledge be shared, not even to his wife. Not yet, it was just too risky.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

"Who cares about those girls, Blair? They're just jealous bitches who like to cause trouble," Chuck commented after Blair described the incident with Penelope and Iz while out shopping with Serena that afternoon, after he'd joined her in their room.

"I care," she replied to her husband as she tucked herself back into her bra and shirt and began to burp the nearly sleeping baby. "We are going to be classmates with those girls, Chuck. And I don't want to be the butt of everyone's jokes!"

Charlotte finally belched, making Chuck grin.

Blair kissed the baby softly on the top of her curly head, told her she loved her, and laid her down in the crib for the night. When Charlotte was tucked in and out for the count, Blair switched on the baby monitor and gestured that she and Chuck should go back downstairs to the others. She hadn't eaten yet and was famished.

They ate their dinner together with the family and then Chuck enveloped Blair in his arms as the kids all settled in to watch a movie afterwards in the family room.

When Serena's phone announced a Gossip Girl blast, the blond quickly read it and promptly grimaced, looking up at the happy couple on the couch. The blast had obviously been triggered by Penelope from their encounter that afternoon and was hurtful and mean.

_**Gossip Girl here, wanting to inform you all that hell must really have frozen over. The rumors that have been circling that our beloved CB is back have indeed been confirmed. But sources say he didn't return alone this time. It seems our little fish has spawned, and has returned with a daughter and wife in tow. And just who is the woman that hooked our elusive Bass, and is now holding the net?. Well it's none other than former Upper East Sider, come orphan, Little Blair Waldorf, herself. Better watch yourself, B. Between C's reputation with the ladies and another for breaking hearts, you're likely in for far more than you bargained for. In fact bets are on that you'll may soon be wanting to release that catch after all and return to the Great White North alone once again. **_

Chuck saw the look on his stepsister's face and he reached for Serena's phone. He hadn't missed Gossip Girl in the least over this last year up north, and was apprehensive about knowing what the meddling hag had said. But when he read the blast he instantly scowled and glared at Serena.

"It wasn't me, Chuck," the blonde defended immediately. "It…, it must have been Penelope. You know she's always had a crush on you!"

Blair turned around and looked at Serena and Chuck in confusion. Chuck passed her the phone, making Blair instantly angry as well. She really did wish they were back at the cottage, even more so after reading the nasty blast. "What can we do?" she asked her husband in distress as he held her a little tighter.

"It's Gossip Girl, there's nothing we can do," Serena answered.

"Bullshit!" Chuck snapped back. "They're your minions, reel them in!" he snarled to his stepsister.

Serena looked at him in disbelief and then sadly nodded. There was likely little she could do until they were back at school in a couple of weeks. But if she wanted to keep the peace in her family and keep Chuck from taking his wife and child and leaving again, she knew she'd have to try.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N: **I'd like to finish this story up soon, but it seems to be gaining momentum again…. So I guess there're a few chapters left to come, if you're still on board with it. Please let me know what you think.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**A/N: **This chapter is **rated M for a little extra smut! Read at your own discretion**. And if you're wondering where my Ed/Leighton stories have gone, well they've been deleted by Fan Fiction police. And, just so you know the severity of that… I have been threatened with losing my account if they are re-posted… So they are no more. Sorry about that!

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

For the rest of their time in the Hamptons, Chuck and Blair tried bonding with the rest of the Van der Bass house members. But for both kids, having siblings around was a new and challenging experience at their age. And even though Serena and Eric were fairly quiet and independent, they were still a constant stimulus to have around when they were all at home. Both Chuck and Blair missed the privacy and peaceful solitude of their little cottage on the farm way up north.

So the couple sought refuge away from constant goings on inside the mansion as often and as close to the beach as they could. There they found nonstop entertainment in Charlotte's natural love of the water, sand and anything else she discovered.

Chuck purchased beach toys and all three of them would work at creating sandcastles and then fill their buckets with water to watch their creations wash away back into the sea. They had leisurely picnic lunches and often went exploring, both along the shore and in the tiny shops of the small town.

Blair purchased a camera and began to assemble a family album of their memories. Before this, pictures came rarely, only when either of them could afford to purchase one of the disposable cameras from Bill's store. They did have a few additional photographs of them at their wedding, presented to them by the kindly assistant of the priest who had married them, and a few others that Bill had taken over the last year and had copied out for them.

A few days before school was to start up again, the entire household packed their belongings up and returned to the bustling city. Once home, Chuck was immediately angry with his father for insisting that he and Blair remain in the penthouse with the family, and not in a suite on their own. Blair did her best to sooth her husband, but he was livid.

"I really don't mind," she insisted as they lay in bed curled together the night before school was to start.

"We have no privacy here," Chuck grumbled before sighing with contentment when Blair began peppering his neck with little kisses. He soon flipped her over. "But what if I want to make love to you in the living room…..," he kissed her on the mouth. "….or in the kitchen….," he kissed her on the shoulder. "…Or in the hall?" He slid his body down under the covers and began kissing the top of her hipbone, stopping only to run his tongue around some of Blair's favourite, most sensitive places.

"Then we'll just have to imagine we're back at the cottage, or be very, very quiet," she replied with a bit of a moan as he ran his tongue around her naval.

Chuck popped his head out from under the covers and grinned at her. "But how is that possible when I always make you scream?" he laughed.

She blushed and slapped him playfully on the head. "I do not always scream!" she replied stubbornly.

"No?" he questioned with a challenging smirk.

"No!" she insisted.

"We'll see," Chuck replied as he dove back under the covers and began to plant kisses along her pelvic bone and then even more down onto the tender skin of her inner thighs.

Blair gasped he inched higher and higher up her thighs, so agonisingly slow until she was moaning with wanting him. "Please….," she begged him as he hovered barely inches away from her heated core. "God, Chuck… please!"

But he was a man on a mission and wouldn't give in to her needs just yet. Instead he let his tongue carefully explore every crease and valley of her center, savouring her as though it were both their first times. When her hands grasped him by the hair, pulling him in even closer, he relented… somewhat, and then let his tongue slowly glide deep inside before he began to stroke her.

Blair mewled in ecstasy as he brought her closer and closer to orgasm, kneading his head with her fingertips as she bit back the cries that so wanted to escape her lips.

He withdrew momentarily to replace two thick fingers for his tongue, now stroking faster and with added pressure until her breathing became laboured and choppy. He smirked as he heard the deep moan begin at the back of her throat the nearer she came to her peak. He knew she was trying to maintain control, but was close to losing it. Just when she was on the brink, he finally wrapped his lips around her clit and began to suck as he increased the pressure inside.

As he expected, Blair shattered completely and cried his name shamelessly aloud as her waves began.

But he wasn't finished with her yet, knowing her volume could certainly increase to an outright primal scream; and so he continued his administrations until another and then another orgasm crested, causing her to finally scream out loud with unbridled pleasure, without restraint. Just as he'd expected.

When he began to chuckle, Blair struggled to get free. She pulled at Chuck's hair and finally just pinned his head with her legs, telling him to stop. She sat up and frowned playfully at him. "Like I'm the only one! You're next, Bass!" she warned.

Chuck began to laugh outright at that and was soon wrestling with Blair, covers flying everywhere as the two of them rolled around on the bed playfully, until they heard a sharp knock at the door. And before they had a chance to respond, the door flew open.

"Is everything all right?" Lily asked as she barged in before stopping short and staring at the two young people in the most uncompromising of positions at the foot of their bed, in embarrassment.

"Who's screaming?" Bart asked, tightening the ties on his bathrobe as he followed his wife into the room.

Blair felt her face immediately deepen in color while Chuck did his best to cover his naked wife and his own exposed lower torso.

"Oh God!" Lily exclaimed as she turned and fled the room, realising what they just interrupted.

"Charles, I'd like to see you out in the hall," Bart snarled and then turned angrily to take his leave of them.

"I'm so embarrassed," Blair cried as she hid her hands in her face while Chuck quickly scrambled for his pyjama bottoms that were somewhere under the blankets on the floor.

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about," he huffed as he finally just pulled a fresh set of pyjama pants out of his dresser and slipped them on. He went back to his wife and kissed her on the cheek. "We're married. We can do whatever we want in here!"

Serena and Eric were now also out in the hall, both confused as to why people were up and why there was screaming going on in the middle of the night.

"Go back to bed," Bart growled at his stepchildren who had also been roused from their sleep by the amorous couple.

Serena looked at her mother for direction.

"Everything is fine," Lily reassured her daughter. "Please…, just do as your step-father says and go back to bed."

Eric turned towards his room, only to happy to oblige his mother.

"But there was screaming," Serena commented as she looked up at Chuck in confusion. "Is…., is everybody all right?"

"Well, we were quite all right until the parents chose to interrupt me as I was pleasuring my misses …..," Chuck grumbled under his breath.

"Chuck!" Bart snapped in annoyance.

Serena's face drained of color as she caught on to what must had happened. "Ewww," she remarked as she backed up towards her bedroom door. "I…., I really don't want to know the rest!"

Chuck smirked and then looked at his father with a scowl. "You may be able to dictate where I can live for now. But you sure as hell aren't going to tell me to stop making love to my wife!" he challenged.

"I'll leave you two alone to discuss this," the now crimson-faced Lily commented before turning to flee back into their room. She really didn't want to be a part of this conversation any longer either.

Bart scowled at his son. "Really, Chuck?"

"What?" Chuck growled back.

"Was the volume of…., of _that,_ really necessary?"

Chuck smirked. "Actually with us, yes. You should just be grateful that we were in our room and not the kitchen this time! But in the future, I don't think I can promise that….."

Bart scowled again and shook his head. He was frankly at a loss of words as to what to say to his son. "Just control yourself, alright! And go to sleep, will you," he mumbled before turning his head and heading back to his room.

Chuck bit back a laugh and returned to his room and wife, who now lay horrified under the covers. Blair had heard the entire conversation and didn't know how she would ever be able to face her in-laws again! "How could you?" she asked with a little slap to his shoulder.

Chuck rubbed at the sting on his arm and he grinned at her before jumping over and pinning her down below him. He began to ravish kisses all over her again. "Hmmm, now where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?" he asked between nibbles. He lifted himself up on his elbows and looked down, another grin spreading across his face. "Oh yes…"

"Chuck!" Blair squealed with glee as he dove under the covers to ravish her once more.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

The next morning the penthouse was busy as the four teens prepared for their first day back at school. Still embarrassed after the incident the night before, Blair was grateful for the commotion; it made it easier to avoid the eyes of all of her in-laws. Instead she her full attention to Charlotte, fussing over the baby as she prepared to leave her alone with Lily for the morning.

Because she was so ahead in her studies, Blair was only going to have to attend classes in the mornings, freeing her to spend her afternoons with their daughter. Lily was going to care for the child while her mother attended class or until a suitable part time nanny could be found.

Chuck had pleaded with Bart for permission to attend school only half time as well, insisting that he'd likely do better with correspondence classes rather than teacher led ones. But his father had adamantly refused, wanting Chuck to prove he was indeed the new man he insisted he was, starting with the him committing to his school.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Chuck asked his wife as she slipped a fat free yogurt into her bag and then rearranged some other items inside as well.

Blair looked up at him and shook her head. "I'm too nervous to eat and my stomach's upset this morning," she replied as she kissed him gently on the cheek.

Charlotte began to squeal and banged her dish on the tray of the highchair, wanting a kiss from her mother as well.

Blair leaned in to kiss around the smashed banana covered face until she found a clean spot she could actually kiss. "You are so sticky!" she told her daughter.

"Daddy!" Charlotte called to Chuck wanting a kiss from him too.

Blair lifted the baby up and brought her close to Chuck so that he could kiss her as well.

"You need a bath, baby-girl," he chuckled as Blair held her still so that Lily could wipe the sticky face and hands before she could take her from Blair.

"Well that's what we're going to do first, isn't it Charlotte?" Lily cooed as she bounced the baby on her hip. She grinned at the child and took her from her mother to head for the family bathroom upstairs.

"Do you want me to feed her lunch and put her down for her nap today?" Lily asked the young mom.

Blair thought for a moment and then nodded. "That would be great, thank-you," she replied graciously. "She might get cranky if I run happen to run late. Are you sure it's not too much trouble?"

"No, I don't mind," Lily reassured her. "She's a really good baby. You and Charles are so fortunate. Despite my own daughter's generally sunny disposition these days, when Serena was this age she was often owly and was extremely hard to put down for a nap. And from what Bart tells me about Charles, well he was even worse! All perpetual energy, twenty four-seven!"

Blair laughed as she looked over at her husband who was just finishing his breakfast. "I can only imagine."

Moments later they were heading through the main doors of the building, towards the waiting limo. Blair took Chuck's hand and squeezed it tightly. "I'm scared," she admitted before climbing onto the seat next to him.

"They're going to love you," he reassured her as he pulled her close.

But Blair wasn't so confident, and by the stares they both received when they first stepped into the shared courtyard of their prospective schools, she knew she was right.

Chuck clutched her hand tighter and ignored the overt stares and whispers as he escorted Blair into main office where they were to both pick up their class schedules and locker assignments. He walked her down the hall to her locker and kissed her soundly before making his way to the St. Jude's side of the campus where his home room was located.

"It'll be fine," he stated firmly. "Just remember why you're here and that I love you, ok?"

She nodded to show him she would be fine and she knew she would be. She hadn't had any real female friends in the last few years and hadn't suffered much. Besides, Serena also attended this school and the blond was her step-sister-in-law. She'd also promised both Blair and Chuck she'd help make Blair's transition as smooth as possible.

Blair kissed Chuck softly on the cheek as she turned to go into her homeroom, hoping the day would pass quickly. In four hours she could return to their daughter once again.

But unfortunately for Blair, anonymity was not going to be at all possible. All eyes were immediately on her as she found a seat at the front of the room just as the bell rang for homeroom to begin. She could feel them boring into the back of her head as the teacher began to speak and she held herself regally, not letting them get to her.

After the bell to go to first period rang, Blair quickly made her way to her first period class and chose to sit at the back of the room this time. This was a senior AP Physics class and the students in here were (hopefully) not as interested in her as they'd been in homeroom. But when the teacher did roll call and called "Blair Bass," however, all eyes were on her again and the room was immediately buzzing with whispers.

Blair could feel the color rising in her face until the teacher finally cleared her throat to get the student's attention. Roll call was completed and soon some papers were distributed around the room wit the course outline and expectations of the class.

"This is a senior advanced placement course," the teacher reminded them as she distributed textbooks, trying to take the attention of the new Constance pupil away. "To earn the credits in here you must actually _earn _the credits. This course will be difficult. The pace is quick and the assignments….well the assignments will be very challenging. I expect excellence from my students and will except nothing less in this class."

Blair smiled, grateful that the teacher was redirecting the class. She was also looking forward to the stimulating work she could expect in here. She suspected was already somewhat ahead by the look of the course outline she'd just been given, but she hoped it would be interesting, just the same.

The rest of the morning continued on in a similar fashion. She was overall pleased with her classes and teachers, but was totally unimpressed with the majority of the student body, including most of those in her senior AP classes. All morning girls made bitchy comments and boys had made sleazy ones. By the time the noon hour came and she was finished for the day, Blair was well known around the school and was already the butt of many an unkind joke.

"So that's Chuck's wife?" a tall, auburn haired boy commented to a peer as he made his way past her locker.

"She's certainly nice to look at but also must be an amazing fuck if he's actually married her," the other boy commented, not seeming to care that she, and several others, were within earshot.

"Ignore them," Serena suggested as she stopped at Blair's locker. "They're both assholes!"

Blair blinked back tears and nodded to her sister-in-law. "It's been like that all morning," she confessed as she loaded her homework into her schoolbag.

Serena ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. "Look, Blair, you need to realise that getting married so young and being a mother is not a common practice here. It's just really different from what everyone is used to and is going to take some time to accept."

"Let alone it's Chuck," Blair added as she shook her head angrily. "But he's not like that anymore, Serena!" she defended. "He's kind and loving and thoughtful…."

"And they aren't used to that, B. But they'll learn. They just have to see it for themselves first, ok?"

Blair nodded her head and quickly wiped the tears that had managed to break free, despite her reserve, because she spotted Chuck approaching from the other end of the hall looking rather unhappy himself. She didn't want to worry him unnecessarily if she could help it.

Serena put her hand on Blair's shoulder. "I'll deal with it and talk to you later," she said as she turned to go and find her minions for lunch. She knew she'd be expected to set order in her group and rein them in before the gossip about Chuck and Blair got out of hand.

"Thanks, S," Blair replied with a forced smile. "I'll see you tonight."

Chuck watched his stepsister leave and then wrapped his wife in his arms, hugging her fiercely. "Please tell me your morning was better than mine," he urged.

Blair pulled away and looked at him with concern. "What happened?" she asked as she swung her schoolbag onto her shoulder and locked up her locker.

He took her hand and began to lead her down the hall, scowling at anyone bold enough to openly gawk at them. "Well besides the stares and all of the inappropriate questions and comments I was bombarded with, I also had to have a very unpleasant meeting with the head master about attendance and accountability this morning," he replied bitterly. "It doesn't seem to matter to them that I earned more credits last year on my own than I did the entire time before when I was in this school. They just don't trust me!" he snarled.

"I'm sorry," she commented. "I guess you'll just have to prove them wrong."

He nodded his head and turned to face her, making her stop. There was an edge to her voice that alerted him to her distress. "What is it?" he asked. "What happened today?"

She blinked back tears again and shook her head. "I feel like I'm in a fish bowl," she admitted. "People just can't seem to stop staring at me."

"They're wondering who the new girl is that could have possibly tamed the infamous Chuck Bass," he bit sarcastically.

She nodded. "The girls just seem so incredibly bitchy and the boys…."

"What about the boys?

"Just comments, Chuck. Just mean and disrespectful comments about why you must be with me."

He lifted her chin and put a very tender kiss on her mouth. "I chose you because I love you," he assured her. "And I have absolutely no regrets at all." He rested his forehead gently against hers. "Tell me if it gets to be too much. I'll deal with them all, ok? No one will come between us, Blair. I promise. And the sooner people learn that, the better."

She smiled softly and leaned in to kiss him again. "Thank-you," she whispered. "Now please get me out of here. I need to get home to feed our daughter before I begin to leak and really do cause a scandal!"

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N:** So once again sorry for the late update. My publishing rights were temporarily suspended and I have little ambition to write these days, anyways. Please let me know if you're still following this story and would like for me to continue.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

"I've talked to them, Chuck," Serena insisted later that evening as the four teens lounged in the Bass game's room after supper.

Her stepbrother scowled at her and shook his head. Blair had been upset all evening over what had transpired at school earlier. "They listen to you. If you insist, they won't have a choice but to follow," he growled as he wrapped his arm even more protectively around his wife's waist.

Serena sighed in exasperation as she watched Blair seemingly melt back into Chuck's arms. "It's different this time," she insisted defensively. "This goes against everything they've all held high. She's an outsider, she's had your baby, and she's taken the wealthiest bachelor in the Upper East Side away from them… married him even! That's a lot to overlook in such a short time, for everybody!"

The blond looked again at her sister in law sorrowfully, noticing the tears that had welled up in Blair's eyes. "I really am sorry, B. But I promise I am trying."

Blair nodded and stroked the side of Chuck's face, hating that he was so obviously upset over the response she'd gotten that morning. She refused to cry over this, but couldn't help but feel hurt. "Maybe it would be better if I just stayed here and finished my classes by correspondence," she suggested sadly.

"No!" Chuck growled. "Your rightful place is by my side and you have every right to be at that school."

"It's also because you're beautiful," Eric grumbled as he looked up from his Math text and looked at his stepbrother and Blair. "A couple of the juniors were talking about it after school today. They were saying that the sophomores and seniors are pitching a fit over your looks and the fact that you scored 'the prize ' even though you're an outsider."

"They told you that?" Serena asked her little brother. She was somewhat amazed that he would have that kind of intel.

Eric looked up at his sister and grinned. "They treat me like I'm one of them. But I doubt that they even remember I'm there half the time or that I'm related to Chuck Bass and his new wife."

"So what else did they say then?" Chuck asked.

"The younger girls like that Blair has the older girls' noses all out of joint. They're on her side."

"Side?" Blair asked as she felt her stomach turn.

Eric blanched, sensing he'd said too much. He closed his math book up and stood to stretch. "I think I'm going to turn in," he said as he forced a yawn out of his mouth.

"Not so fast, little brother," Serena said as she grabbed his pant leg before he could flee. "What do you mean by 'they're on Blair's side'?"

"It means that there's now real opposition to challenge the current dynasty; a worthy contender for the throne," Chuck growled. He looked at Eric and shook his head in dismay when the younger boy nodded, confirming his suspicions.

"You mean they want Blair to push for queen?" Serena asked, not believing what she was hearing.

"They were just talking about it," Eric said uncomfortably. "But look, I could be wrong, ok? It was just girl talk."

"Chuck, I don't like the sound of any of this," Blair said with concern. "I don't want this! I just want to finish school and be with our family."

He rubbed her arm and then looked up at Serena and scowled. "You need to stop this before it gets out of control!" he snapped. "It's upsetting Blair."

"What's upsetting Blair?" Bart asked as he and Lily entered the room. Lily was carrying Charlotte, who was dressed in clean pyjamas. She wanted her mother and was obviously ready for bed. "She's had a good play, but I think she's ready for bed now," he added as Lily passed the child over to her mother.

"Serena's minions seem to have a problem with my wife," Chuck grumbled in reply as he sat up straighter while Blair received their daughter from Bart.

Charlotte immediately nuzzled into Blair and tugged at her sweater, wanting to be nursed before bead.

"Well then fix it, son," Bart replied as he struggled to avert his eyes while Blair began to feed the sleepy baby.

Chuck frowned and nodded. He was still somewhat uncomfortable that his wife seemed ok with breastfeeding their daughter in front of others, including members of his family. He could only imagine the reaction that it would have on those bitches at Constance or with the St. Jude boys!

Serena cleared her throat and stood up, wanting to get away from everyone. "I have to meet the girls," she commented as she made her way towards the stairs that led to her bedroom. "I'm meeting them in an hour."

"Why don't you take Blair with you?" Lily asked as she looked over at her daughter. "It might help matters if you all meet away from the school and you're there to support her," she added for good measure.

Chuck frowned, not wanting to put Blair in the middle of all of the drama again tonight. But deep down he knew his stepmother was right. "Maybe we should," he commented.

"I meant just Blair, Charles. I don't know if you're going will help, or hurt the matter."

"I think Chuck should come too," Serena suggested. "If we present as a united front then maybe the girls will ease off. You know how intimidating Chuck can be."

For a moment Blair looked absolutely horrified. She couldn't fathom the thought of deliberately exposing herself to that group of girls. And the thought of Chuck being 'intimidating' was concerning. But she knew they were probably right. If she stood her ground they might let her alone. And this was an opportunity to show them she was not about to be bullied. She nodded her head and sighed. "Let me get this one to sleep first?"

"Of course," Serena answered with a smile. She reached over and stroked the baby's head as Charlotte fed contentedly from her mother.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

"You look stunning!" Chuck growled passionately into Blair's ear as he hugged her from behind and then nibbled against her neck.

Blair giggled a little and gently elbowed him with affection. "Down boy," she whispered, wanting him to back off just a little as they made their way into the busy club.

It wasn't lost on any of them how many looks they were getting from other club patrons as they headed to the far corner where Serena's minions had reserved a table.

Serena plopped down, quickly pulling Blair down into an empty seat next to her.

Chuck grabbed another chair and pulled it up next to his wife. He smirked when the table grew silent.

"'For anyone who hasn't met her yet," Serena began, "This is my new sister-in-law, Blair. "

Murmurs of 'hi' were uttered around the table and Blair forced a sweet smile on all of them. "I think a couple of you are in some of my classes," she commented.

"So, you're a Canadian then?" Nelly Yuki asked as she sipped her drink. She had been in one of Blair's classes that morning and appreciated that Blair had brains as well as beauty.

Blair laughed. "No, I'm actually from Manhattan, originally. But my family moved to Boston when I was in primary school. We owned a cottage in Canada, though."

"Blair went to school with us in primary school," Serena stated, trying to let the girls understand her roots. "She was actually one of my good friends when we were little."

"And now she's Chuck's wife," Izz mumbled, causing several of the girls at the table to giggle.

Blair felt herself blushing.

"Yes, now she's my wife!" Chuck stated firmly, challenging the smug looks of several faces at the table. "And we have a child together, so get over it."

The smug looks fell promptly and most of the girls looked down at their laps, unsure of what to do or say. They knew it wasn't wise to cross a Bass.

Blair cleared her throat and managed a smile. She took Chuck's hand and brought it to her lips, hoping to calm him down. "We appreciate that our union was a shock to most of you. But I assure you that we love each other very much."

"I'm sure the bankbook didn't dissuade you either," Penelope mumbled.

Blair's face fell and Chuck grasped her hand tighter. "You think Blair married me because I have money?" he challenged the dimwit.

Penelope blushed and she raised her eyes to meet Chuck's angry glare. She swallowed hard, but defended herself. "Frankly yes. Well that and the fact you knocked her up!"

Several people at the table gasped at her brazenness and it encourage her on even further. "Oh come on!" she sneered glaring at Blair. "We've all watched 16 and Pregnant. We know how it works and we know how this is going to turn out!"

"If you weren't a girl I'd rip your fucking head off right now," Chuck spat as he slammed his fist down on the table. "It isn't like that at all!"

"Chuck!" Blair gasped at her husband's outburst. She'd never seen him act like this before and it scared her.

He turned to her and his face immediately softened. "Sorry, Love. I just can't take any more of this shit!"

"They weren't there. They don't know…., " Blair reminded him gently.

Chuck leaned forward and he kissed her softly on the mouth. She was right. "I love you," he whispered.

Blair smiled at him and she stroked the side of his face. "I love you too," she returned.

"Awwww," Nelly swooned as she and most of other girls looked in disbelief at the major public display of affection that Chuck Bass was showing towards his wife.

Penelope stood up and glared at Nelly, then looked back over at Chuck and Blair. "Well I think it's ridiculous!" she sneered. She grabbed her purse off of the table and marched away, indicating that the other girls should follow her.

A few of the girls did get up and leave with her, while others were obviously torn as to what to do.

Serena cleared her throat and glared at the remaining girls. "Blair is my sister-in-law and is Chuck's wife. She's here to stay. So if any of you can't handle that, I suggest you get up now and leave, because she's one of us."

A couple of other girls stood up and left the table at their queen's words, not willing to accept what their culture would surely deem as preposterous. They quickly made their way out of the club, hoping to catch up to Penelope and their other friends.

But surprisingly, most of them remained at the table. Blair looked around at their faces, stopping when her eyes came upon Serena and she smiled graciously. "Thank-you," she said.

"Now," Serena said as she nodded back and then waved a waiter over to their table, "Let's order."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

The next day at school, Blair had to admit, went better. There were still stares and whispers, but some of the girls were actually almost friendly towards her. Her schedule that day was also more to her liking as she had a fashion elective that she was looking forward to half way through the morning.

When she finally entered that class she sat next to a buxom, red haired girl at the front of the class and she took out her design book to work on a latest design idea she'd had while they were in the Hamptons while they waited for the teacher to come in.

The girl next to her smiled shyly and looked at her drawing in awe. "That's incredible!" she complimented.

Blair looked at her and smiled appreciatively. "Thank you. It's kind of like a hobby for me."

The girl nodded thinking Blair was way too talented to be in this class and was just about to comment on that very thought, when the teacher walked in.

Course outlines were promptly passed around and the teacher began the drill at what she expected from her girls in class. She then caught Blair's eye and glared at the girl, angry that a student who hadn't ever earned the credits in class from junior and sophomore years, would be suddenly be permitted to be in her senior class. It would likely take the girl ages to get to the level of her classmates, she thought distastefully. Besides, there was something eerily familiar about the student that had her feeling a bit off….

She continued speaking to her class about quality work and pride in the industry and then commented that a few of the better students in class may be privileged enough to earn an apprenticeship with a designer in the city, if they showed they were worthy of it. She, herself, had once earned such a spot as a student in this very school and had been fortunate enough to apprentice at Waldorf Designs back when it was a real shop.

At the name of Waldorf Designs, Blair's ears perked up. The woman had once worked for her mother she thought sadly as she felt her eyes immediately fill to the brim with tears.

The teacher continued on for a while and then had students open their sketchbooks to begin with some simple design techniques while she took attendance. While the girls worked away, she called Blair up to her desk, asking her to bring her sketchbook along with her.

"I'm not sure why you were placed in this class without the required prerequisites," she began before she opened the book. "But I don't intend to keep you here. I'm sure the course will be far over your head and you will undoubtedly be frustrated and lost. It will be much better for you to be placed among the juniors."

Blair swallowed the lump in her throat and fought off tears. She wasn't sure what to say to the teacher without seeming to challenge her.

The woman looked at her with pity and shook her head. "Don't be upset dear, it was obviously a mistake," she commented. She took the sketchbook out of Blair's hands and opened it up, expecting to see poor attempts at introductory designs, but gasped when she recognised what looked to be similar to Eleanor Waldorf designs with modern details. She immediately turned beat red and took Blair out into the hall. "Where did you get these?" she demanded angrily.

Blair blanched at the woman's harsh words. "I…., I drew them," she replied honestly.

The teacher's lips went firm and she began to escort Blair down the hall until they reached the min office. She knocked on Head Mistress Queller's door and dragged Blair inside once they were asked in.

Blair was unsure as to what she could have possibly done wrong and stood shaking as the teacher placed her sketchbook in front of the Head Mistress.

"We have rules in this school about plagiarism!" the teacher snapped. "And this young woman has copied out a famous designer's work and is trying to tell me…., ME…of all fashion study teachers, that they are her designs!"

Ms. Queller looked up at Blair's shamed face and quivering body and then looked at the sketchbook. She slowly opened the book and began to flip through it, admiring the beautiful designs and gowns that Blair had painstakingly drawn in her book.

The teacher pointed at a page and sneered. "Eleanor herself could have drawn that dress. These are copied from her work, I assure you. But where the brat got the designs from is beyond me. Mrs. Waldorf's design books were never found."

The Head Mistress looked up at the teacher and sighed. She then closed the book and looked back at Blair. "Do you have anything you'd like to say in your defense, Blair?"

"I…., I don't want or intend to come across as rude, Headmistress, but they really are my work. All of them," she answered quietly as tears began slipping down her cheeks in embarrassment.

"See!" the teacher bellowed in disgust. "She claims to be able to design as well as one of the greatest designers I ever had the pleasure to work with…"

"Mrs. Rowbury," the Head Mistress interrupted. "Perhaps if you were to inquire before you so unjustly accuse someone, you would realise your grave error. This young woman is Blair Bass. Her maiden name was Waldorf. And she is the late Eleanor Waldorf's, daughter! Is it any wonder that she would posses a similar technique or level of skill as her mother?"

Now it was the teacher's turn to change color. She blanched as the words sunk in. She had realised that Blair looked familiar to her. The girl was in fact similar in appearance to her late mother. That they would put her into a senior design fashion class without prerequisite classes had been no mistake. Blair's level of skill already well surpassed that of all the other students as well as the teacher in the class. "I…., I don't know what to say!" she admitted in embarrassment.

"If only that had been the case initially!" Ms. Queller quipped. "I believe you should start with an apology," she suggested. "And then we'll see."

"I truly am sorry," the teacher replied shamefully, her cheeks now blazing red as she looked at Blair in shame.

"Now, I am going to recommend that Mrs. Bass be given the credits for Fashion Studies as she obviously could teach the class herself!" added the Head Mistress as she handed the design book back over to Blair.

"Of course," the teacher commented.

"Please, if I may," Blair stated, looking at the Head Mistress for consent to continue.

When the woman nodded, Blair continued. "I don't want any favours," she stated.

"Blair, it's common for students to challenge a class for advanced credit. It's why I put you in the senior class in the first place."

The teacher looked at the Head Mistress and glared. If she'd only have been told that before hand, all of this could have been avoided.

"Yes, I'm aware of that. But I've also been home schooled most of my life since leaving Constance Primary years ago. I…, I've never had the opportunity to experience an elective such as this one before. I chose Fashion Studies because it's my passion and I miss talking about design with my mother."

The teacher decided at that moment that she had been a total ass and loved loved the daughter of her former mentor. She looked up at the Head Mistress and smiled. "I would sincerely be honoured if Mrs. Bass wished to remained in my class, after all of this misunderstanding," she said humbly.

Blair looked up at her teacher and smiled. "Thank you," she said gratefully. "I'd love the opportunity to work with you too."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

The rest of the morning went smoothly for a change and Blair decided to take a break before going back to the Bass penthouse so she could spend a little time with Serena on the Met steps. She noted immediately that Penelope, Iz and a few other girls from last night were not among the minions on the steps. She also noted the various positions the girls sat on the steps and how a few actually gasped when she sat on the same step as Serena.

She took an apple that her sister-in-law offered and ate while the girls shared juicy bits of gossip and chatted about boys while eating their lunches. It was a completely new experience for Blair and she was loved it.

When Chuck showed up a while later, he sat next to her and wrapped his arm around her protectively. "Everything ok?" he inquired.

She nodded and rested her head on his shoulder.

"What happened at the office?" he asked quietly, not pleased that she wasn't telling him anything about it. He'd been informed that she'd been dragged down by a teacher earlier in the day and had been freaking out all morning.

"There was a misunderstanding. We'll talk about it later at home, ok?"

He leaned in and kissed her softly on the cheek, causing some of the minions to swoon. "Ok."

Serena looked at her watch and signalled to the others that it was time to leave for classes.

Blair stood up with Chuck and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'll see you a little later."

"Give our daughter a kiss for me?"

"Of course," Blair replied as she kissed him again quickly and headed down the stairs to head home.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

Bart Bass was waiting impatiently, wondering where the hell Blair was. He had arranged a meeting in the Bass library just after one and Blair needed to be in attendance. He sighed in relief when she finally showed up, hoping that her nursing and putting Charlotte down for a nap wouldn't take too long.

"Night, night, sweetheart," Blair whispered into her daughter's ear as she placed the sleeping baby in the crib in the room next to her and Chuck's. She leaned over the rails and brushed a soft kiss against the little temple. She stopped in her room and gathered up her books, and heading down to the library to begin to work on her homework. She liked to get it finished before the baby got up from her nap so that she could concentrate on Charlotte, rather than school for the rest of the afternoon.

She opened the library door and stopped short when she realised Bart was holding a meeting of sorts in there. "Oh! I'm so sorry I interrupted," she apologised as she prepared to leave and take her work into the dining room instead.

"Blair, I'd actually like you to join us," Bart said, making her stop short. "This meeting concerns you."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N:** Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. But it's now summer holidays and I should be able to finish this up soon. Please let me know what your thoughts are . I hope you're still following!


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**A/N: **Sigh, there's always one that makes you steam. I want to apologize to my readers for this public reply because the reviewer is this if directed to, chose to go anonymous and I can not reply personally. So I will TRY not to rant, be too rude or condescending…..

To the Anonymous viewer who says I am just plagiarizing a movie and not writing Fan Fics:

1: I have mentioned that I am using the plot of this movie to use as a basis for my story (gee, it's not like the entire concept off an fiction isn't based on plagiarism of anyone else's characters, plots or anything else!)

2. As the setting is different for Chuck and Blair than the UES, they are going to be OOC, which IS allowed, and not uncommon in fan fiction

3. If you had taken the time to actually watch the original movie (as many of my readers have) you will realize that the movie ends way earlier (and rather poorly in my opinion), and will understand that this story is very different than the movie is (How could it not be when Chuck and Blair are so different than the movie characters?). As well, the story has since taken on it's own life as they've returned to the UES, which didn't happen in the movie!

4. I have done a few other movie to Chair stories that have done well on fan fics, along with a bunch of my own. There is an entire forum based on this very thing… (Chuck and Blair at the Movies). So like I suggest to others who hate what I write, if you don't like my stuff, please find another story to read and leave me and those that enjoy my work, alone.

I apologize to my readers that really didn't need to be subjected to this.

So, on with the story….

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

_Several years earlier….._

_Rain beat down from out of a still gray sky and onto the window as Harold Waldorf nervously ran his fingers through his thick mop of black hair. He shook his head in disbelief at the numbers boldly mocking him from the screen of his laptop. That can't really be the balance in his account, he silently screamed in his head. _

_He looked up and across the floor of their penthouse and stared at his wife as she worked away on another yet another design in her sketchbook. He knew there was little point in her effort. The economy was so bad that even her once lucrative business, was in danger of never recovering._

_Eleanor looked up and smiled warmly at her husband as she felt his eyes on her. But her smile turned immediately into a frown when she noticed the look on his face. "What's wrong?" she asked with concern._

_Harold closed his eyes and sighed. "We're broke," he replied in a voice barely above a whisper. _

"_We'll manage," his wife argued. She knew things were tight. Her business had trickled down substantially over the last couple of years too. "We've gotten through it before and we'll do it again," she offered._

_Harold looked at his wife and shook his head. "Not this time," he countered sadly. They were done. The flailing economy and his partner had seen to that. They would never recover from this. And he wouldn't dare._

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Blair looked around at the intimidating people sitting around the long mahogany table and she felt her throat immediately go dry. "What's happened? What is all this about?" she asked with concern. She fought the urge to turn around and run to gather her daughter, find her husband and then flee back up north to the sanctuary that had become their home over the last year.

But instead she gritted her teeth and fixed her eyes on Bart, refusing to sit until he offered her some kind of explanation of the gathering and why she was supposed to join them.

"Blair I've come across some important information about your family that you need to be aware of," he replied, knowing she wouldn't likely cooperate without some sort of prodding.

Blair's eyes grew wide and she attempted to swallow, but was unable to with the dryness in her throat. Suddenly she felt woozy. "They're all dead," she managed sadly.

Bart stood and pulled a chair back for her, indicating she should join them. Blair complied, needing to suddenly sit, but was still unsure as to what was happening. She had to admit she was feeling more than a little afraid at his words.

Once she sat down, Bart filled a glass from the pitcher of water in the center of the table and offered it to her. Blair thanked him and drained the glass immediately, grateful for the instant soothing of her throat. She nervously looked around the table while Bart began introducing the people to her.

One gentleman she'd been told was an investment banker, cleared his throat and began to speak once the introductions were finished. "Several years ago your family lived in this city," he stated.

Blair nodded her head. She was more than aware of that.

"Your father, Harold Waldorf, was a lawyer with a lucrative business and a partnership here?" he continued.

She nodded again. "Yes, daddy was a lawyer and he had a business with his partner in the city," Blair admitted, wondering what all of this nonsense was about. She didn't want to discuss her deceased parents with these people and she had homework to do.

"What do you remember about your father's company?" the man asked.

Blair scowled for a moment trying to remember, but it had been such a long time ago. "It was in a large building not too far from Central Park," she finally offered. "His office had a large leather couch and a tapestry from India hung above it. And it usually smelled like peppermints," she recalled fondly.

"What else do you remember?" the man asked, eager to see what else she could bring to the table.

"He had a secretary named Agnes," she continued. "She used to have butterscotch candies in her desk in a silver can. Once she took me out for ice cream…"

"Blair, please try and remember what you can about your father's business, his partner and the business they did, if you can," the man said, clearly becoming agitated by the musings of Blair as a child in her father's office. "Was there ever anything unusual going on that you can remember?"

Blair frowned and closed her eyes. "It…., it was so long ago," she said. "And I was really young." She found herself going back, struggling as she faced an incident that she had tried to bury long ago…

_Blair ran down the hall, her French braids loosely trailing behind her as she returned to her daddy's office after using the washroom. She was just around the corner from it when the yelling made her stop on a dime. Hesitantly, she poked her head around the corner just enough to see what was happening, but not enough to be seen herself._

"_I don't give a shit about your family, Harold!" her father's partner screamed. "For all I care, you can all starve!"_

"_But it's my company," her father argued back, a tone of fear and desperation in his voice. "I built it up by myself from nothing! And I took you on as a junior partner when I was too busy to run things myself."_

"_Well that's not the way it is anymore now, is it Harold? Not if you don't want the truth to come out….."_

"_This is blackmail! You'd destroy my family for money?" her father raged in disbelief._

_The man grinned and nodded as he sat back comfortably in the chair behind her father's desk. "You know I would. In fact it would give me an incredible amount of pleasure to see that façade of a wife of yours fall apart and see your little brat reduced to nothing more than a penniless waif!"_

"_Why do you hate us so much?" Harold asked in pain, still unable to believe what he was hearing. "What did we ever do to you?"_

"_You didn't make me a full partner, remember?" Greg yelled. "And with our losses with the economy this year, I had to foreclose on my mortgage. My income in the company won't even cover my bills anymore! My apartment is gone and I'm reduced to living in a flat in Brooklyn!" he sneered bitterly. "Brooklyn!" He slammed his hand down on her father's desk, making Blair jump from her hiding spot around the corner. "Well now it's my turn to be in control of things. And you'll be gone. There'll be no recovery for you…. You won't be coming back here again, do I make myself clear?"_

_Harold sunk back onto the leather chesterfield meant for his clients and he let himself go. He began to sob uncontrollably, not remembering that his young daughter was nearby and that she would be traumatized to see him so lost and broken._

_And Blair was traumatized. She hadn't really understood what was taking place around the corner in her father's office, but she did comprehend its significance. Her father was in trouble and he was choosing her and her mother over fixing whatever it was that his Greg Hartwick had been talking about. And now the man she had always believed was indestructible, had been reduced to a sobbing mess. _

_She knew she couldn't let him know that she had seen him like this, and her quick mind made her quietly retrace her steps back to the bathroom where she untied one of her loose braids. A few minutes later after taking a few deep breaths to steady her little nerves, she popped her head out of the bathroom door and began to call for her father. "Daaaadddy!"_

_A moment later Harold appeared in the hall looking almost put together again. "Yes sweetheart, what do you need?" he asked as though nothing were wrong._

"_My French braid came out and I can't fix it! Can you please help me?" she replied, trying to keep the fear from her voice while she held out the hair tie. She knew her father would come to the rescue. He always did when she was in need._

"_Of course, darling," he replied as he finished coming down the hall to the washroom. Blair passed him her hair tie and closed her eyes so as to not look at his red and swollen ones. She sighed in relief as he released the other braid and then began to gently comb his fingers through her thick, curly mass of hair. _

"_It'll have to be a ponytail until we get home, ok, love?" he said softly. "Mommy is so much better at fixing your hair than I am."_

_Blair nodded and then when he was finished she turned around swiftly and wrapped her arms around his waist in the tightest hug she was capable of. "Thank-you. Can we please go home now?" she pleaded. _

_He hugged her back almost as fiercely, stroking the crown of her head. "Good idea," he commented._

Blair only realized she was in tears after telling the memory, when Bart passed her a box of tissues. She took one and quietly blew her nose, then took another to wipe the mascara off from under her eyes. "Thank-you. I've never spoken to anyone about that," she confessed uncomfortably.

"We believe your father was being blackmailed into surrendering his business over to his partner, Blair," Bart said. "Your story supports that theory."

"But why?" Blair asked in disbelief.

"Harold Waldorf was an intelligent businessman. He wouldn't have made his partner a full partner in case the market faltered, especially after almost losing it in the 80's. Yet Greg Hartwick has somehow held onto it and made a fortune since your father let him take it over all those years ago."

"But why would daddy just give it to him?" Blair cried. "We were so poor after that! We had to live in our summer cottage for a while and then moved to Boston. He was never the same again!" she added remembering that he'd had an accident soon after they'd moved and had died. She broke down again and hugged herself, wanting nothing more than the arms of her husband and to hold her child.

Bart passed her some more tissues and cleared his throat. "My lawyers are investigating Mr. Hartwick's affairs. We have reason to believe that there was no legal transfer of the company to him. If that is the case, it still belongs to your father."

"My father is dead, Mr. Bass. It's no longer of any use to him!" she bawled.

"I know and I'm sorry, Blair. But you are still alive and also have your own child now. If the company and its holdings still belong to your father, then by rights, they should belong to you. You and Charlotte are Harold Waldorf's only surviving heirs."

Blair looked up at him, not sure if she was hearing him correctly.

"That means you are rich," he simplified looking into her eyes and grinning with what could almost be seen as the hint of a smirk. "That means you're independently wealthy, even by Manhattan standards!"

"But now we need to dig," another one of the lawyers interjected. "We need to build a solid case. It's important to find out whatever else we can about their partnership, relationship, and what it was that Mr. Hartwick was holding over your father."

"We weren't going to say anything about it until we knew more, but it's important you're prepared because it could likely cause a scandal when the story breaks," Bart added.

"And likely a big one!" another lawyer reinforced.

Blair felt the color drain from her face. "Why would it cause a scandal?"

"Your family was quite prestigious in this city at one time," Bart explained. "But they seemed to just vanish overnight. The crashing economy caused a lot of people to lose their assets, but there was far more than just the poor economy going on with your father. We think he had a huge secret that he was protecting you and your mother from, Blair. And it's likely to come out as we investigate further."

Blair frowned. Her mind was whirling from all of the information going on in her head. She felt nauseous and lightheaded from all of this and she needed to lie down. "This is too much!" she finally admitted as she held her head in her hands. "I think I need to go and lie down." She pulled herself up from her chair and held onto the table for a moment as she felt her world begin to spin.

Bart caught her just as her knees buckled. He carefully swooped her up in his arms and brought her over to a heavy leather chair by the door, setting her down carefully.

"I was afraid it would be too much for her to hear all at once," the investment banker commented with pity.

"Go and get my wife," Bart growled back at the man in annoyance. He was only glad his son wasn't here, knowing this would likely upset Chuck as well. It was why he'd deliberately arranged to have the meeting here after lunch, in the first place. Chuck wouldn't be home as he had afternoon classes. But he also knew that the boy would be angry with him for his deliberate exclusion, later.

With some help Bart and Lily got Blair upstairs and onto her bed. Lily sat with her for a while while she cried in her mother-in-law's arms.

"I can't believe this is happening," she sobbed onto Lily's shoulder. "I don't want this!"

"You deserve to know the truth, Blair. Haven't you wondered why your family lost everything?"

"I was told it was the economy! My mom had to go to work as a seamstress when we moved to Boston. She made very few gowns after that. She said there was no market for them any more and she was too tired after working all day. And there was nothing for my father. He couldn't find work anywhere. Why would my parents lie about all of that?"

"Your mother likely never knew there was anything else going on," Lily reinforced as she hugged the grieving girl that she was growing more and more fond of everyday. "And the economy really was terrible at that time," she continued. "Bart told me he lost a fortune that year as well. It was a bleak period for a lot of people. And I…., I don't know what to say about your father. Until the truth comes out, it's hard to know what think."

Blair nodded quietly as more tears broke free. She let go of Lily and then wiped at her eyes before curling up on the bed. Her world was crumbling around her once again and she needed her husband desperately. "Can you call the school and ask them to send Chuck home for me?" she asked.

"Of course," Lily replied as she left Blair to go and make the call.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Chuck was struggling with a math problem when the school secretary appeared at the door, requesting him to follow her. When he heard that his stepmother had phoned saying his wife needed him, he flipped out.

The family limo was outside the gates a moment later and Chuck was wild with worry by the time he reached the penthouse.

He ran through the door of the penthouse, up to their room where he found her wrapped into a tight ball in the center of their bed. He immediately curled around her and hugged her to him as though his life depended on it. "It's ok, I'm here now," he whispered into the back of her neck.

She wrapped her arms around his and pulled him in tighter, not wanting a fraction of space between them as she continued to cry.

Chuck was at a loss as to what to do. He still had no idea what was going on. So he just held her while she cried until she finally fell asleep in his arms. He only left her when he could hear their daughter waken from her nap a short while later and he left to gather up the child up in his arms before her cries awoke Blair.

After changing her, Chuck took Charlotte into the kitchen and cut up a small banana, placing his daughter in her high chair to eat. He got some fruit juice from the fridge to put into her favorite sippy cup to complete her snack.

"How's Blair?" Lily asked as she came into the kitchen.

Chuck looked up at his stepmother and scowled. "Can you please tell me what happened this afternoon to totally devastate my wife like that?"

Lily stepped back for a moment. "She didn't tell you?" she asked in disbelief.

Chuck shook his head and handed Charlotte her sippy cup, smiling when the baby looked up at him and smiled with smeared banana all over her face. "No, she didn't tell me. She was crying too hard to be able to talk. So can you please tell me what happened?"

Lily sighed, knowing he was likely to get angry. "Your father has discovered some important news about Blair's family. He has several people working on it and they spoke to Blair this afternoon. I guess she must have been overwhelmed by the news. She fainted in the library. "

"He did what?" Chuck snapped, causing his daughter to startle and then begin to cry in her high chair.

"Hush, hush, baby girl," he soothed as he picked up the frightened child and held her close. "It's ok. Daddy didn't mean to scare you." He patted the baby on the back unti she quieted once more.

"What is my father doing looking for information about Blair's family? And why would he not include me in a meeting concerning my own wife?"

"You'll have to ask him those question yourself, Charles. I'm staying out of it," she wisely suggested, knowing full well that the shit was about to hit the fan. She held her arms out toward Charlotte and grinned when the baby responded with a smile and reached her arms out for her grandmother to take her. "Why don't I clean this little one up and you go and see to her mother?"

Chuck nodded and transferred the baby over to his stepmother's arms. He then made his way up to his and Blair's room and peeked in to see her still fast asleep in the middle of the bed. He quickly slid in beside her and circled her in his arms once more, happy when her body immediately responded to his by backing up into his curve and sighing in her sleep. He kissed her gently on her neck, causing her to wake up.

"What time is it?" she asked sleepily as she turned over to curl up under his chin.

"A little after three," he replied as he stroked the back of her curls.

"Charlotte…" Blair cried as she sat up, wanting to go and fetch her daughter.

"She's with Lily," he relayed, gently pulling her back down with him and looking into her eyes. "Tell me what happened with my father this afternoon," he coaxed.

Blair groaned and cuddled next to him even him closer. "They think daddy was being blackmailed by his business partner," she said quietly as tears started to run down her face again at the memory of the meeting earlier that afternoon. "They said that Greg Hartwick was likely holding some terrible secret over his head and…., and he gave all the business to protect me and my mother. He warned me it could all go public and there'd be a scandal….."

Chuck held her tighter and kissed the back of her head, letting her cry. He was at a loss for words as to what to say to her and was extremely pissed off at his father. He couldn't figure out why Bart would even bother digging into Blair's past. "I'll see what else I can find out," he promised as he let her grieve. "But I think the next time my father wants to sit down with you without me being there, your answer should be a definite 'no'."

She nodded her head slightly and kissed him lightly on the side of his neck. "Good idea," she agreed.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

That evening Chuck couldn't keep from glaring at his father throughout dinner. Serena and Eric felt the tension at the table and knew it had something to do with Blair. Everyone ate in silence with the exception of Charlotte who vibrated and hummed in anticipation while she was waiting for her mother to shovel another mouthful of food into her.

"Charles, I'd like to see you in private in my office," Bart ordered after the family had begun to clear from the dining room after dinner.

Chuck got up from the table and leaned down to kiss his wife. "Bathe Charlotte and I'll be up in a bit to read her a story," he said before following his father down the hall to the man's office.

When the door to Bart's office was closed Chuck erupted. "Just where do you get off prying into my wife's family?" he yelled.

"Charles…..," Bart tried to interrupt.

"God dammit, she's my wife! How dare you dig into her family's past and upset her like you did this afternoon!"

"Watch your language!" Bart snapped back. "When you decided to marry that girl you made her a part of this family. And it is my job to ensure that I know everything I can about this family to keep it safe, including your wife's past. And for your information, her father's partner has been living off the profits that rightfully belong to Blair and your daughter. A fortune by the looks of it! And I aim to see that everything is done to get back what is rightfully theirs!"

"At whose expense? "Chuck snapped back. "She told me you figured her father was being blackmailed. If a scandal breaks regarding this it's only going to hurt her and Charlotte. They don't need anymore grief in their lives! And we really don't need any more money! But I need my wife to be happy here. And if whatever it is, if that man was holding something bad enough over her father for him to abandon his business, it'll likely hurt them!. She's been through enough! Are you deliberately trying to drive her away? Do you dislike her that much?"

Bart's face softened and he shook his head. "Of course not, Charles. I'm actually growing quite fond of Blair and I adore that little Charlotte. I…., I didn't think I'd like her really, but I have to admit you found a fine woman, son. And I am trying to help them out. We'll tread as carefully as we can, but the truth will likely come out. I wanted her to be prepared for it, in case this comes to a head soon."

Chuck realized that there would be no convincing Bart to withdraw the investigation into Harold Waldorf's business. Once his father had made up his mind on something, it was nearly impossible to change it. But he wanted his dad to respect that he and Blair were a couple. "I don't want you freaking her out like that again," Chuck replied, a little more in control now. "The next time you want to speak of this to her, I need to be included."

Bart scowled at his son for trying to put him in his place. He wanted nothing better than to reprimand the boy for talking to him like he was, but he had to admit that he was almost proud of how much Chuck was sticking up for his wife. It was actually rather mature of the boy. He was blown away by the changes he could now see in his son from spending the last year on the Canadian coast with Blair. The once irresponsible child had become a caring and responsible young man, a protective husband and a good father. He finally closed his eyes and offered a single nod before turning around and leaving his office without arguing. He wanted to spend a few minutes playing with his granddaughter before bedtime anyways.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

For the next few weeks Blair went through the routine of school in the morning and parenting in the afternoon. She still got looks from many of the girls, bitchy ones from some of them, jealous ones from a few others and surprisingly, even some of admirations from a few others. And there were a few more girls hanging out at the Met steps these days, but not to follow Serena.

She was all ready making a name for herself among the students t the school from her intelligence, her quick mind and for her attention for detail. She was standing out and already climbing to the top of her classes her ahead of the other students in her academic classes. In this the students were torn over whether or not to accept her in their midst. It was becoming clear that she would be a challenge in almost all academic areas and she was perhaps the most strikingly beautiful girl in the school, a fact that had most of the boys drooling over her. Her close ties to Serena and Chuck automatically put her ahead socially, even though her background did not.

In addition, her teachers loved her. She was intelligent, eager to learn and participate and was hard working, a pleasure to have in any class. In fact her fashion teacher was so impressed she was almost dumbfounded. The woman was completely blown away at how similar the techniques of Blair's designs were to her mothers. But Blair was much younger than Eleanor had been when she'd begun, so her fashion sense and ideas were fresher and inspiring to see. The woman recognized genius in the industry when she saw it, and she knew that Blair had what it took to go far in the business, if she so desired to do so in the future.

At night after she'd nursed their child and tucked her into bed, she would lie in her husband's arms and they would discuss what was happening at school.

For the most part, Chuck was happy for Blair's enthusiasm over school. But her rising popularity also meant that the boys of St. Jude's were also gaining interest in her. He heard the locker room talk that slowed to whispers in his presence. He saw the stares and looks of hunger and lust that some of the boys had over his wife. He did his best to ignore it all, but the rude gestures of one boy during lunch one day that finally caused Chuck to react.

He was just about to leave through the main doors of the building to meet Blair before she headed home to their daughter, when he overheard a couple of senior boys talking about them. Out of curiosity he decided to hang back and listen until they went too far.

"He's the luckiest bastard in the world," Jaden, the taller of the two said. "All that money and he can fuck her whenever he wants."

"Yeah well if that's all you want, then maybe you should get married too," a smaller boy known simply as Beaman, joked.

"Pft! No way! Not until I'm thirty!" Jaden sneered back at his friend. "Besides, there isn't another girl in this school with tight little curves like hers. I want her! And with that firm little ass, I bet she's as tight as a virgin, even after having a kid! I'd just love to stick it in and…." The boy began to thrust with his pelvis perversely, which made Chuck erupt in fury!

"That's my wife you're talking about!" he screamed as he grabbed the boy by the scruff of the neck and shoved him against the wall. "And the mother of my child!"

"We were just joking!" Beaman said as he tried to pry Chuck off of his friend.

"Speak for yourself!" the taller boy said as he tried to pry Chuck's hands off of him. "This school was better when you were gone, Bass!" As the boy finally broke free he took his free hand and swung it clumsily into the side of Chuck's face.

Chuck seemed to explode on contact and began to punch the boy over and over again, despite his friend trying to protect him.

A pair of teacher's on lunch supervision heard the brawl and flew over to the three boys to separate them and drag them all to the principal's office where parents were called and told they were all suspended.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Blair got up from her spot next to Serena on the Met steps and began walking with her sister-in-law and the minions. She looked at her watch in confusion when the bell rang, indicating that lunch was over. Where was her husband? She frowned knowing she'd now have to leave for home without seeing Chuck. She was just about to head off when she saw Lily arrive at the front of the school in a town car. When her mother-in-law left the car, Blair noticed that Charlotte was with her in a car seat.

"Lily, what's going on? Why are you here with Charlotte and where's Chuck?" she asked with concern as she approached the car.

Charlotte raised her arms and grunted upon seeing her mother, wanting to be picked up.

"Perhaps you can take your daughter back home," Lily replied. "It seems that Chuck has been in a fight and is being suspended for a few days," she said as she passed the car seat over to Blair.

"Mama!" Charlotte cried, getting upset over being restrained and ignored.

The girls from lunch gathered around to see Blair's daughter in the flesh.

"She's so cute!" a few of them cooed as they bent over to look at the now fussy, but still very pretty baby.

Blair set the car seat down and unbuckled Charlotte, raising her to her hip, which instantly settled the child down. The baby laid her head on her mother's shoulder and looked at the new faces of the minions with her big, black eyes, with interest.

The minions cooed some more, several of them reaching to stroke the child's silken black curls or creamy skin.

"What do you mean he's been suspended?" Blair asked in horror as she walked away from the pawing girls over to her mother-in-law.

"I don't know. All they told me was that he got into a fight," Lily replied as she turned to head into the office.

"Well I'm coming too," Blair stated as she turned to head inside the building behind Lily, soon followed by Serena and the minions.

"I'll see you later," Serena called to Blair as the second bell rang for classes. "You can tell me about it tonight."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

"I thought this bullshit was over!" Bart barked later that night in the library after dinner and when Charlotte was in bed. He glared at his son with disappointment.

"I wasn't going to just walk away and do nothing!" Chuck yelled back at his father. "She's my wife!"

"And you're my son! A suspension is a permanent mark on your transcript! Add that to your history of truancy and failing grades and no Ivy League school will ever even consider you!"

Chuck hung his head in frustration, choosing not to get into it with his father. He knew there could be no reasoning with the man when he was this angry. So he sat there and let him rant.

"You were doing so well," Bart continued. "You were home every night. You were attending school and completing your assignments. You were responsible with your wife and daughter, and now this!" He shook his head in disgust and left Chuck alone in the library before he said something he might regret later.

Chuck breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed the bruise along his jaw once Bart was out of sight. He really didn't care what his father thought. He wouldn't let his wife be talked about or lusted after like that, by anyone. And the sooner the boys of St. Jude understood that, the better. He plunked down at the table and shoved his homework in the center of the table, no longer caring if it got done or not.

"I'm sorry you got in a fight because of me," Blair apologized when she finally dared come into the library to sit next to Chuck at the table they often did their homework at. She placed her books next to his and covered his hand with hers.

Chuck sighed and looked at his wife. "I wish we were still at the cottage," he confessed. "It was so much easier then."

She leaned over and kissed him softly on the temple. "Part of me wants to be back there too, Chuck. But you know we both need to finish school and think about what's best for our daughter."

He turned around to face her and leaned in to kiss her on the mouth. "I know you're right, but I hate what's happening to us. I hate how we're treated at school, I hate living here with everyone, and I hate not even being able to make love to you properly without waking the entire lot of them up in the process"

Blair raised her hand to stroke his cheek. "You don't hear me complaining about _that _now, do you?" She smiled as she leaned in to kiss him again. In fact, they'd devised away to restrain their love sounds. It was oppressive, but effective, non-the less.

He grinned sadly at her and shook his head, leaning in to kiss her again, this time with more depth. "I miss your screams when I make love to you," he whispered tenderly as he caressed her hair. "And I miss taking you whenever and wherever the opportunity arises." He kissed her then passionately, pulling her to her feet and then flush against his body.

She could feel him already hard and wanting as he slipped his hands under her bum and lifted her to the table, where they were a most perfect fit. "Chuck!" she cried somewhere between a moan of desire and a warning.

"I don't care anymore," he panted into her ear between kisses as he lifted her skirt and began to slide her panties off. "You're my wife and I want you…. right here, right now."

Before she even realized what she was doing, Blair had begun unbuttoning Chuck's shirt and trousers, needing to feel his skin against her own as well.

Chuck groaned in his heat and he lifted first her sweater and then bra over her head, tossing them onto their books. Blair's arms circled his neck and he slid his hands behind her, bringing her close enough that when she arched her pelvis, he was immediately home.

"Fuck!" he cried in ecstasy as they found their rhythm, "Like this! Just like this!" He leaned her back until he was able to capture her breast in his mouth, making her purr in pleasure as he thrust deeper and deeper inside.

Blair gasped as she felt herself already begin to peak. She clamped her muscles, trying to restrict the sensation, but that only made her feel even tighter inside causing Chuck to moan aloud, his mouth making its way back up to her neck. "I want you to scream for me, Blair," he urged as he plunged even harder and deeper inside of her.

"Chuck!" Blair cried as she felt the pulsing begin, indicating she was about to erupt.

He grinned and reached behind them, slipping his hands under her to arch her pelvis even more, then bringing one hand down between them to stroke her heavily with his thumb.

She shrieked as the explosion hit her, then quickly buried her face into the curve of his neck, biting deep to prevent the wanton cries that an orgasm of that magnitude often brought, as her nails raked his naked ass.

Chuck's body finally succumbed to her waves and he cried her name as he too, let himself go.

Outside the library door, Eric stopped dead in his tracks and he turned to face his sister, wide-eyed and with a pale face, clenching his binder close to his chest.

"Oh God!" Serena groaned as she covered her ears, letting her math book fall heavily onto the floor. They were at it again!

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

"Don't tell your father I told you this, Charles, but it is rather nice to have you home to look after Charlotte in the morning," Lily confessed a few mornings later when the two of them were alone with the active toddler. "We've been interviewing for a part time nanny, but none that we've met seem suitable, or Charlotte refuses to let them near her."

"Well I'd prefer no nanny at all," Chuck grumbled as he wiped the sticky fingers of his child before putting her on the floor to play. He'd been raised by nannies and had a huge aversion to them himself.

Lily frowned. "Regardless, one is needed. I can barely manage my own affairs after running around after Charlotte all morning! That little girl is perpetual energy!"

Chuck grinned as he watched his daughter run down the hall enthusiastically, proving Lily's point perfectly. "What time is this next one coming?"

Lily frowned for a moment and looked at her watch. "She should be here in another twenty minutes or so." She walked over to the counter and took out some papers, handing them over to Chuck. It was a resume for a nineteen-year-old girl, a former au pair who had come highly recommended by an associate of Lily's.

Chuck took the document and headed into the living room to read it before the interview.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Bethany watched as the child continued to lay book after book in a haphazard row around the playroom. "What is it that she's doing?" the girl asked in wonder, never having seen any other child do anything quite like that before.

Chuck smirked. "She has this thing about roads," he answered with a chuckle. "She's building some. And when she's done, she pretends she's a car and she drives along them."

"Wouldn't it be easier just to give her e couple of toy cars or something?"

Chuck frowned. "She has toy cars. I think she feels like she's testing her own engineering project out," he replied proudly.

Bethany nodded her head. Strange kid, she thought as she smiled at Chuck. She was more interested in the handsome father then the little brat anyway. She'd had a lucrative affair with the father of her last placement. But the man had been several years older than her and not nearly as handsome as this young dad looked. She smiled again, knowing she was a cinch for the job.

Chuck frowned and cleared his throat. Bethany reminded him of the girls he used to pay for before he met Blair. "Charlotte, honey. Come here for daddy and meet Bethany," he coaxed.

Charlotte toddled over and climbed up onto her daddy's lap. She looked up at the pretty woman and frowned. She nestled back into her father's chest.

Bethany held out her arms, showing a little stuffed dog that she'd brought along with her. "Come and see me. See, I brought you a little doggy, Charlotte," she cooed.

Charlotte turned her face into Chuck's shirt and she shook her head. "Mommy?"

Chuck patted his daughter's head. "Mommy's at school sweetheart. Do you want to go and see Bethany? She brought you a new dog!"

Bethany slid closer to Chuck on the chesterfield and she jiggled the toy next to Charlotte's head.

Charlotte peaked out of Chuck's shirt and she glared at the girl. "No!" she yelled as she lifted her hand and swatted the little dog away. She watched with satisfaction as the toy flew across the room and landed on one of her roads. "Dead!" she squealed with glee as she slipped off of Chuck's lap and ran out of the room away from the nasty woman.

Bethany frowned in displeasure but then caught herself and smiled again at Chuck. "Sometimes it takes them awhile to get comfortable with strangers."

Chuck stood up and retrieved the little toy, handling it back to the girl. "My wife will let you know," he said as he left the room to find his daughter. He didn't particularly care for that nanny either!

Lily found Chuck reading Charlotte a story in the library awhile later. "So?" she asked hopefully.

Chuck shook his head. "I highly doubt it."

"Well, there's one more coming this afternoon, but there isn't much point in interviewing her. She's pretty old and has a funny accent."

Chuck sighed. "I want Blair with me when I interview her this time," he commented, not wanting a repeat of this morning's one. "She has the final say anyways."

Lily nodded and left the room. She didn't feel very hopeful.

Blair tore Bethany's resume up and tossed it in the recycle bin. "I think a more mature woman is a better fit for our child, anyways," she commented thinking that if the earlier interview had made Chuck as uncomfortable as he suggested, she'd likely have hated the girl anyways. Besides, Charlotte was getting used to her grandparents and an older woman might make her more comfortable than a younger one.

But when Lily showed the elderly woman into the living room after lunch, Blair doubted that she'd work either. The lady was thin and her ebony skin was so incredibly wrinkled, it wasn't even funny. She had dark grey hair that was cropped close to her scalp and large sad eyes that reminded Blair of a basset hound a neighbor had once owned when they'd lived in Boston.

Chuck and Blair looked at each other, both knowing that the woman would unlikely be able to keep up to their energetic child.

She sat down and smiled eagerly up at the young couple she'd come to meet, showing a row of big very white teeth. "It's so very nice to meet you both," she said pleasantly. She looked around the room and frowned. "But where's the little one?"

"Charlotte's just finishing her lunch," Lily said as she excused herself to go and retrieve the child from the kitchen.

"Can you tell us about your experience?" Blair asked, wanting to get this over with fast. She had a project to complete before tomorrow and could feel a headache coming on.

The woman nodded and began to explain that she'd been with the same family for years, through two generations of children, who were now all grown. "I have no family of my own to speak of," she concluded. "I was unable to have children myself."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Blair said, her heart going out to the woman. She couldn't fathom not having ever been able to have a child. She loved their daughter so much.

Just then a loud wailing sound came from down the hall and a cranky Charlotte ran into and across the room, and flew into her mother's arms. "No nap!" she cried angrily.

Blair lifted the baby up onto her lap and turned her around. "Charlotte we have company. Would you like to say hello to Miss Daphne?"

Charlotte stared at the old woman in disbelief. Chuck cringed, wondering what she was going to do to the poor old soul.

But slowly a big grin spread across the little girl's face and she slipped off of her mother's lap. Before any of them knew what was happening, Charlotte ran across to where Miss Daphne was sitting and she crawled up into her lap, resting her tiny head on the woman's frail chest. "Raison!"

Chuck and Blair looked at each other with a mixture of both shock and humor. It appeared they had found their nanny!

Daphne stroked the baby's head as she continued to chat with Chuck and Blair about her experience and what her responsibilities would be as their nanny.

Chuck smirked when he saw their daughter soon begin to nod off. The old lady certainly seemed to have the touch! "You understand it's only a part time position?" Chuck asked, wanting the woman to understand it was only for a few hours a day, unlike her last job.

"For now," Daphne agreed, nodding as she adjusted the now sleeping child into a more comfortable position. She continued to rock and stroke the baby's curls, not missing a beat. "But when this next ones comes along," she said nodding towards Blair's perfectly flat stomach, "I expect you'll be wanting someone on a more regular basis."

"I'm afraid you're mistaken. I'm not expecting another child," Blair said, feeling herself blush. She turned to look at Chuck and shook her head.

Daphne cocked her head and squinted her eyes at her. "I beg to differ, Mrs. Bass. But I'm pretty sure you are. I'm not usually wrong about these things."

Lily had entered the room and had caught the last part of the conversation. "Blair?" she asked in shock.

Blair felt herself blush again. "I…., I don't think I'm pregnant," she replied. "I'm still nursing Charlotte."

"Sometimes that makes little difference," the old woman said with a smile. "You're not too far along, but I expect one of those little tests can confirm it for you."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

"Your step mother asked you a question, Charles," Bart growled. "Are you using protection?"

"The details of our sex life are really none of your business," Chuck replied in annoyance as he struggled to control his anger with his father.

"If it means that my adolescent son is bringing another child into this house, than it certainly is my business," Bart snapped, finally losing his patience. "With your defensive posture and attitude, it confirms to me that you are not! And from the noises you frequently awaken the house with in your rutting, we sure as hell know you're not practicing abstinence either!" The man shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration as he fought to maintain control. One fuck up he could handle from his son. And although Bart was in fact growing quite fond of his endearing granddaughter and Chuck's teenaged bride, there was a limit! But two kids before they were even out of high school? He and Lily had already pushed the social etiquette standards of the Upper East Side by supporting the girl and one grandchild from 'an unfortunate situation,' but with them having two kids before they were even eighteen, they'd be the laughing stock of the community!

Lily laid her hand on her husband's shoulder as she watched the two Bass men glare at each other in what she was now terming a "Bass off." She looked over at Blair to see if she was willing to jump into the argument, but the girl sat dumbfounded on the chesterfield, appearing oblivious to the conversation that was unfolding in front of her.

The look was misconceiving. Blair laid her hands over her tummy and caressed it lovingly. The old woman was crazy. Charlotte wasn't even a year old yet! Could she really be pregnant again? She didn't feel nauseous and her breasts weren't tender. She couldn't possibly be pregnant again, could she? And if she was, was that such a problem?

Her mind went back to her last pregnancy. She thought about how difficult it had been for them last year, struggling to provide even the bare necessities for their daughter. She remembered the long hours of work they both did just to keep food on the table and to have enough of the bare necessities for Charlotte. She thought about going through labor while Chuck was at work, almost right up to the moment she was ready to deliver and then how he helped her bring their child into the world.

She didn't realize she was crying until she felt her husband sit beside her.

Chuck had followed Lily's gaze over to Blair and his concern for his wife superseded Bart's agenda. He wrapped an arm around her and held her close. "Are you ok?" he whispered as he bent to brush his lips against her shoulder.

She looked at him and smiled sweetly as she wiped the wetness from under her eyes and nodded. "I…, I was just remembering how hard it was last year with Charlotte." She rested her head onto his shoulder.

He nodded and squeezed her tighter. "I promise it'll be different this time."

She shook her head and a few more tears slipped down her cheeks and she smiled sweetly. "It was perfect," she sighed and she looked up at him with such love, it nearly melted his heart.

Bart looked at the two of them and scowled. He looked over at his wife and scowled even more. The woman was teary-eyed herself as she watched the outpouring of love between her stepson and his young wife. "Well maybe we're just jumping to conclusions," he suggested as he turned to leave the room. "Let's hope the old lady is as bat-shit crazy as I think she is!"

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Daphne began working for the Bass family the next day. Over the next few weeks she bonded beautifully with Charlotte, who still insisted on calling the woman Raison.

Blair busied herself with school and began to do a little volunteer work with some of the many charities Lily was involved with. She found that giving a few hours a week to the community was rewarding and she began to broaden her social circle.

The individuals Lily introduced her to found Blair to be charming and intelligent. And when word spread that she was Eleanor and Harold Waldorf's daughter, they seemed to appreciate her even more.

Blair refused to take a pregnancy test. She really didn't believe she was pregnant in the first place, and Bart's insistence that she see a doctor had her feeling extremely defensive over the entire situation.

"It's none of his business!" she complained to Serena one evening after Bart had cornered her once again to ask her about seeing one.

"He's just concerned, Blair," her sister-in-law offered. "If you're pregnant again you should be getting the proper prenatal care."

"That's not it," Blair countered. "He's afraid what another child will do to his reputation in this town. It makes me sick!"

"That's not fair," Serena defended.

"Really?" Blair snapped. "He's suggested to Lily that perhaps I am doing too many volunteer hours in the community with her. He's afraid if I am pregnant then that much public exposure will hurt him."

"You don't know that. Maybe he's just concerned that you are overdoing it. Maybe he thinks you're spending too much time away from Charlotte."

Blair looked at her daughter as she stacked books together in neat little piles that Blair swore was imitating the city's skyline from out of the window. "Charlotte," she called softly.

The baby looked up and grinned at her mother.

"Come and give mommy a hug," she coaxed.

Charlotte dropped the books she was organizing and leapt up, running to her mother enthusiastically. She crawled up on Blair's lap and hugged her tight. "Wuv ew," Charlotte cooed into her mother's ear.

"I love you too, sweetheart. Can you tell me what you and Raison did today?"

Charlotte plopped down on her mother's laugh and she smiled. Park," she replied. And then added, "An' duckies."

"Do you like Raison?" Serena asked her niece.

"Wuv Raison," Charlotte answered with a nod as she hugged herself before climbing down off of Blair's lap and scurrying back over to her books.

"See, Charlotte loves the old woman. I'm here most every afternoon and I nurse her several times a day, Serena, so I don't think it's that," Blair continued, point proven in her eyes.

"What's that?" Eric asked as he and Chuck entered the room together. Eric walked over to his niece and sat next to her, curious to see what the precocious little thing was up to this evening. He watched her as she began to pile a new stack of books.

Chuck sat next to Blair and he looked at her with concern. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Your father won't let up on the pregnancy thing," Blair grumbled as she took his hand in hers.

"I'm so sorry," he said as he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. "I really wish we could just move out of here where our sex life isn't anyone's business other than our own."

Eric turned his head and looked at his sister with somewhat of a smirk on his face.

"Don't bother….," Chuck spat before the wise crack came out of his step-brother's mouth. "We get enough of a lecture from dear old dad!"

He looked at his wife and smiled slyly, squeezing her hands when she smiled back at him. That the family was aggravated over their passionate lovemaking wasn't news to them. In fact they were barely even trying to suppress themselves these days just because of Bart's obvious issue about it. "I meant it Blair. As soon as I turn eighteen, we're out of here! I don't care if we are both still in school. We'll buy our own home and we just won't have to deal with them any more."

"I do love your parents, Chuck. And they have been very good to us," she admitted as she turned to face him. "But I would give almost anything to have our independence back!"

"Soon," he replied as he leaned in to kiss her on the mouth. "I promised you that when you agreed to come home with me. And I meant it, ok?"

She nodded and kissed him once again. "Ok."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Bart looked at the document in his hand and frowned. "I know this is going to get ugly, but that bastard is going to pay for what he did to that girl and her family!"

The lawyer nodded and sighed. When Bart Bass was on a mission, he meant business; even if was likely to turn ugly!

"Do it!" Bart snapped as he handed the document back. "As far as I'm concerned, the sooner this story breaks, the better!" He turned around and went back into his office, running his fingers nervously through his hair. He knew he was going to have to have another meeting with Blair. And after the incident that happened the last time when he had called her in to meet with his team, he also knew he'd have to get Chuck involved in it as well.

She was going to freak out. He was sure of it. Harold had risked everything to protect his family from the story that was about to break. But in order for them to take Greg Hartwick to court, the details of the man's blackmailing Harold Waldorf and then of Harold's eventual death, had to come out. And Blair was likely going to be traumatized.

He considered forewarning her of the details, but knew she'd likely insist on stopping the investigation from going public. The girl seemed to be able to separate her heart from her wallet, which was an admirable trait, but a stupid one. And without having any family left to support her, Bart decided that the decision would be his to make. And in his mind, he justified; what they were doing really was in Blair's best interest. She'd thank him later when she was so stinking rich that she was unable to remember the details of the affair in the first place, he thought.

He sighed, removing his cell phone from his pocket and then settled down at his desk. He had a lot of work to get done today. After the story broke, he was sure all hell was going to break loose.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Serena was falling in love with an annoying, alpaca-faced boy from Brooklyn that Chuck and several of Serena's original minions seemed to despise. Blair watched her sister-in-law kiss the boy that morning as the other girls sat together on the Met steps and gossiped about their queen.

"They live in Brooklyn!" one of them quipped in disgust.

"That's enough!" Blair snapped, getting sick of listening to them. "I used to live in Brooklyn too!" she shared. And her cousin's apartment may have been disgusting, but it was the best her cousin could do and had been the only alternative she'd had at the time. "And Serena wouldn't appreciate the way you're talking about her friend!"

The girls shut up, not wanting to displease the girl who was quickly rising sharply in status at their school and in their community. And if word of their bitching did get back to their queen… it would not go over well for any of them.

But Serena's days as queen were looking to be coming at an end, regardless of her involvement with the boy from the wrong side of the bridge. So many of her original group had stopped hanging out with them because Blair had joined them. And Blair now had a following of her own that was quickly surpassing the one of their queen. Besides, Serena was so wrapped up in this Dan fellow that she really didn't seem to care about her status or position in their school any longer.

The rest of the morning passed pleasantly as usual with Blair and Chuck each in their perspective classes, but when the lunch hour hit the entire school went crazy when the breaking news hit the Upper East Side and was posted to Gossip Girl.

Blair looked confused as she approached the girls on the Met steps. Everyone in the courtyard had stopped and stared at her as she passed by, whispering and giggling at her just as they'd done on her first day of school. "What's happened?" she asked Serena as she assumed her place next to their queen on the steps.

Serena looked up at her and then blanched, making Blair's heart speed up.

"What is it?" she asked again more desperately. She hurriedly took the cell phone out of her sister-in-law's hand and read the headlines of the story. And then everything went black.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Chuck had tried to get to Blair when Gossip Girl first posted the headlines from the city news. According to the story, Harold Waldorf had committed suicide after being blackmailed from trying to hide his gay love affair from his family. He was stunned and knew she would be devastated. Broken even. But by the time he reached the Met steps, Blair was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there was a swarm of hysterical minions buzzing around something on the steps.

He spotted an upset looking Serena, standing helplessly among the throng of girls and began yelling at her. "Where's Blair?" When his stepsister failed to respond, he forced his way through the girls only to find Blair unconscious and splayed out on the steps, with several minions trying to bring her around.

"She fainted, Chuck," Serena finally managed. "She read the post and passed out. They can't bring her around!"

Chuck immediately whipped out his cell phone without a second's thought, and called 911 for an ambulance. "Get away from her!" he barked at the girls.

For the next few minutes he tried to answer the emergency operator's questions until the sound of sirens approaching the Met announced the paramedics arrival.

The girls parted as the attendants approached the steps and began their primary assessment of Blair. Chuck stood helplessly next to his sister as the men worked on his wife.

Once she was being loaded into the ambulance, Chuck turned to Serena. "Call Lily. Let her know what's happened," he said as tears steamed down his face. "And make sure Raison can stay with our daughter until we get back."

Serena's eyes filled and she began crying too. "What's wrong with her?" she cried. "Why won't she come to?"

"I don't know," he replied in little more than a whisper as he climbed into the back of the ambulance with the attendants. "Just tell Lily to meet us at the hospital."

**}i{ ]i{ }i{**

**A/N: **I put the suicide twist in because I thought it would fit. I'll get into the details more in the next chapter. I know this is going to upset a few of you**. **

I also feel I must apologize for the late update on this story. I have no real excuse besides the facts that I am lazy and it is summer, I have no AC and my laptop is HOT, and I've been away on holidays. Please let me know your thoughts and if you want me to continue.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

"How could you?" Lily barked at her husband in disgust. "You knew how devastating this was going to be for her. "How could you have that awful story released without even talking to her about it first?"

Bart sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He could feel a headache coming on and really didn't need a lecture from his wife! "It was a judgment call," he justified. "It was going to be hard for her to hear it, wherever she was."

Lily looked at him in disbelief, shaking her head. "That was probably the most thoughtless thing I have ever seen anyone do in my entire life!" she scoffed. "She's just a girl, Bart! A child! And she's your son's wife and the mother of your granddaughter!" Lily shook her head again and picked her purse up off of the counter. She needed to get to the hospital. "Are you coming or not?"

Bart looked at his wife in disbelief. Bart Bass didn't do family crisis drama! He'd only come home to grab some documents that he'd left in his office earlier, intending on returning promptly. But then the call came in from the hospital. He'd expected some drama resulting from the story, but didn't think Blair would become physically ill as a result! Oh, he'd known the repercussions from this case would affect his peace and quiet all right; but not so much and so quickly. Besides, he really needed to spend some time working on an investment deal for a meeting later that night. But if he walked away now he was sure he'd never hear the end of it! He looked at his watch. He had a few hours yet and could spare a little time. Finally he just sighed and nodded to his wife, realizing she'd never let it rest if he refused.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Chuck sat silently by his wife's bed, holding her hand and worrying what was taking the doctor so long with her test results. When he heard Blair groan and felt her move, he let go of her hand looked to her face.

Blair was sqinting her eyes and moaning in pain.

Chuck gently stroked the side of her face. "Blair, can you hear me?" he asked with concern.

"What happened?" she squeaked, barely above a whisper.

"You passed out on the Met steps. Are you in any pain?"

She nodded her head and furrowed her brow again. "I have a head ache and my belly hurts," she replied. "And…and all I can smell is fish."

"You landed on Nelly's lunch and it was all over your head," he explained. "I believe it was sushi."

"Ewww, gross," she mumbled as she scrunched up her nose. She opened her eyes and looked at her husband. "Why did I pass out?"

Chuck was at a loss as to what to say to her. She'd obviously blocked out the story that had caused her to faint in the first place. He took her hand and squeezed it gently as he lowered his eyes. He was about to tell her when the doctor came in.

"I'm pleased to see that you've regained consciousness," the man told her as he picked up her chart and came to stand at her bedside.

"What's wrong with me?" she asked. "Why am I here?"

"Are you in any pain," the man asked.

"My stomach hurts here," she said as she felt her lower belly. "And my head aches."

The doctor approached her and began to look closer at her face and head. He looked in each eye and in her ears. "Do you remember falling?" he asked.

Blair shook her head. "I don't remember anything," she admitted.

Chuck cleared his throat. "My sister said she was sitting down on the steps when she passed out," he answered. "She fell forward on the stairs but didn't appear to hit the cement. Her head landed on a girl's lap and in her lunch."

"Then why do I hurt so much?" Blair asked as she felt another pain in her stomach.

The doctor pulled the blankets back and began to examine her further. He put her hand on her belly and gently pressed in and around making Blair groan when she felt another cramp. "How far along are you?" he asked.

"Pardon me?" Blair asked.

"In your pregnancy? How far along are you?"

"I…. I'm not sure. I mean I had no idea. I'm really pregnant?" she asked in disbelief.

Chuck looked at his wife and grinned. "So, Raison was right," he said lovingly. "We're going to have another baby."

Blair smiled back at her husband and then grimaced as another cramp hit. "Is the baby all right? Why do I hurt so much?"

"I'm not sure, Mrs. Bass. The hormone levels in your blood test confirmed the pregnancy, but they don't tell us the age or viability of the fetus. I'm going to order an ultrasound to make sure that it's viable."

"What do you mean, viable?" Blair asked with concern, not liking the sound of his words.

"You may be having a miscarriage," he said. "That would explain the cramps and the headache. It's not uncommon in the first trimester. If something is wrong with the fetus or if the mother has had some trauma or severe stress in her life, sometimes it affects the fetus. Have you had any spotting or bleeding?"

Blair felt her yes fill with tears at the thought of losing their child. Even though she had just found out she was pregnant, she felt she loved it already. "No nothing. I haven't bled since I gave birth to my daughter last winter," she said as tears started to slip down her face.

Chuck felt his eyes well up as well and he squeezed her hand tighter as the doctor pulled the covers back further to check her. "I want to exam you further," he explained.

They both saw the traces of blood in her underwear as te doctor removed her panties and looked at her..

Blair gasped and her hand flew up to her mouth. "Oh Chuck," she cried.

"It's ok," he said reassuringly. "I'm sure they'll do whatever they can."

The doctor looked at them skeptically. "If the fetus is viable, there may be things we can do to save the pregnancy. But I must be honest with you. It may already be too late. The cramping could be contractions. Your body may already be expelling it. The best thing for you to do now is to remain calm and to rest. If it is alive then more stress will likely complicate things," he warned. "I'll arrange for an ultrasound right away."

Blair nodded her head and she tried to stop crying but couldn't help herself.

Chuck stood and climbed onto the bed beside her. He wrapped her in his arms and held her through her grief as he tried his hardest not to cry as well. He was so scared at the moment because the news of the baby was only one stress in Blair's life. Once she remembered the earlier Gossip Girl blast or saw the story that would undoubtedly be on every television and radio station in the city, along with every newspaper and gossip rags, it would be even worse, much worse!

He suspected his father had been behind the release. Bart had warned them that something was likely to come out of the investigation of Greg Hartwick. But this was too much! And the thought of him releasing this major story before even discussing the sordid details with them first was beyond careless as well as cruel. Was it deliberate, he wondered? Was he trying to destroy Blair?

He looked up upon hearing a noise at the door and saw two nurses come into the room, followed by Lily and his father.

"Mrs. Bass, we're going to take you down to radiology for your ultrasound, ok? But we need to clean you up a bit first and get you in a gown," the large woman commented as she looked at Chuck and began to pull the curtain around Blair's bed closed for some privacy.

Blair released her hold of Chuck and nodded.

Chuck kissed his wife and got off the bed, glaring over at Bart who just looked at the floor. He gestured that they should follow him out into the hall while the nurses attended to his wife.

Chuck looked for a private area to talk to his parents and headed into an empty visitor's lounge at the end of the hall.

Lily wrapped her arms around her stepson. "Is she going to be all right, Charles? Why are they sending her for an ultrasound?"

Chuck ignored her momentarily and continued glaring at his father. "You did this, didn't you?" he accused.

Bart looked up at Chuck and he glared back at the boy's brazen words. "Now see here…"

"No!" Chuck snapped. "You see here! That is my wife you're playing with. You had no right to release that story the way you did! You knew how devastated she would be over this. And you did it on purpose!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Bart challenged back. "No one can predict how another is going to react to information, besides, she has the right to know the truth!"

"Bart!" Lily hissed. "Have you no heart? The man committed suicide after being blackmailed over his involvement with another man! He gave up his business to protect his family! Who wouldn't be traumatized over that? And she's a child!"

"She's in such a state of shock that she's blocked it all out," Chuck added. "That's what you've done to her!"

"Did she hit her head when she fell?" Lily asked. "Is she going to be ok?"

Chuck looked at his stepmother and his eyes filled once again with tears. "The doctor thinks she might be having a miscarriage," he replied. "Likely from the stress of everything!" His eyes changed direction and he glared again at Bart.

Bart didn't say anything, but Chuck could imagine what the man was thinking. His father had made it well known to everyone that he didn't want them to have another child.

"But you'd like that, wouldn't you, you son of a bitch?" he snarled at his father.

Bart stood up and sighed, shaking his head. "I wish no harm to your wife, son. But would it really be that bad if she lost it? You're both too young for another baby."

"You bastard!" Chuck yelled as he lunged at his father, his fist barely skimming the man's chin as Lily tried to hold him back.

Bart looked in disbelief at his son. He couldn't believe Chuck had actually struck him.

"Get him out of here, Lily. Get him out of my sight!" he ordered as he turned around and headed back to his wife's room just in time to see them raise the bed rails to take her for her test.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

"Where're your parents?" Blair asked her husband with concern when the elevator doors closed to take them down to Radiology.

"I sent them home," he replied, tying to keep his voice calm. "I didn't think you needed any more stress than what you have right now."

Blair nodded and closed her eyes and lay back against her pillows. "You're right. Thank–you."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N:** A quick update to make amends for my lack of effort over the summer. But I'm not sure if I'm going to have Blair stay pregnant or not. What do you guys think should happen? Are they too young for another baby? Should she lose it? I'd like to hear your opinions before I decide on the outcome.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

**A/N: **This short chapter contains a little religion in it and may therefore be offensive to some readers. Read at your own discretion.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Serena and Eric hurried down the corridor looking for their sister-in-law's private room. They'd been informed at Information that she had been admitted to the maternity ward on the eleventh floor of the hospital.

"She's got to be pregnant again!" Eric said with delight. "We're going to have another niece or nephew!"

"Something's got to be wrong, Eric," Serena interrupted. "They wouldn't have admitted her to the maternity ward if everything was ok. I'm really worried about her."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Serena had remained at school for the rest of their afternoon classes, and then quickly found her brother after school and headed home, leaving her new boyfriend and the minions in a state.

It hadn't been lost on the students that the horrid news Blair had received that afternoon had likely devastated her. And Penelope and Iz had only made matters worse, suggesting that the princess had likely faked the fainting spell and would later try something like slitting her wrists for even more attention over the entire incident.

Serena had been pleased by the reaction of her group to Penelope's cruel comments. A couple of the younger girls had cornered her in the bathroom and then given her a swirly, sending the bitch flying to the office. A couple of suspensions later, Penelope was sent back to classes with toilet water hair, and was now the laughing stalk of the school.

Once the Van der Woodsen kids had gotten home, they heard the fighting between their mother and stepfather the moment they walked off the elevator. It was horrid, but the angry words stopped when the adults saw the frightened and concerned looks upon Serna and Eric's faces.

"Where's Blair?" Serena had asked, her eyes darting back and forth between her mother and Bart.

"She's still at the hospital," Lily replied.

"What's wrong?" Eric asked.

"They're running some tests on her. Charles asked us to leave," her mother had replied looking over at her husband again with disgust.

"What did you do?" Serena asked Bart accusingly.

Bart sighed and refused to answer. Instead he turned his back on everyone and left the penthouse. He was sick of the finger being pointed at him and had to get away from them all before he exploded.

Serena had looked back to her mother with a puzzled look on her face.

Lily sighed and raised her hand to her throat. "Your stepfather is responsible for releasing the story of the gruesome details of Harold Waldorf's death," she'd informed them. "Chuck is furious with him and we've been fighting all afternoon."

"Is it true?" Eric asked his mother in disbelief.

Lily looked at her son and nodded sadly. "I'm afraid so."

"Poor Blair!" he'd said, his heart going out to his stepbrother's wife.

"I need to go to her," Serena said as she dropped her books on a table and picked up her purse. She turned to leave, noting her brother was following her.

"I'm coming," Eric informed her without hesitation. "They're my family too!"

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Now as the siblings came down the corridor of the maternity ward, the reality hit them. If she was being admitted, there was likely a problem with Blair and the baby. As they entered her hospital room, their concerns were confirmed.

Blair lay curled up in a tight ball on her bed with Chuck curled around her body protectively. There were no sounds emitting from either of them, but the sorrow in the room was very apparent.

"Chuck?" Serena said, gently.

Chuck looked up at his stepsister and shook his head sadly. He leaned in to whisper something in Blair's ear and then slipped off of the bed. He motioned to the door and followed his stepsiblings out.

"Blair doesn't remember anything about the Gossip Girl release. She seems to have blocked it out."

"But why is she in the maternity ward?"

"They discovered she was pregnant when they did a blood panel on her," he confessed.

"What do you mean was?"

Chuck blinked back the tears that were beginning to fall down his face again. He shook his head. "They're not sure if it was the shock of the news or if there was already a problem, or a combination of both …."

"Oh dear!" Serena cried.

"She's losing it," he continued. "And there's nothing anyone can do."

"I'm sorry," Eric apologized, unsure of what other words he could possibly say to his stepbrother under such circumstances. "This is just so sad!"

Serena stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Chuck. Eric joined in on the hug as well, until Chuck pulled away and wiped his eyes.

"I need to get back to her," he said as he wiped his eyes.

"Of course," Serena replied. "I'll tell your father you're staying here with Blair tonight."

Upon hearing the word 'father,' Chuck's entire posture went ridged and his facial expression darkened. "I will never set foot in that man's house again after what he's done to my family!" he growled. "He's to blame for this!"

"Chuck you just said they weren't sure…..," Serena began.

"He did this deliberately!" Chuck yelled before she could finish. "He had that story released knowing it was going to hurt her!"

"You don't know that!"

Chuck glared at his stepsister before turning around to head back in the room. "Oh yes, I do!"

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Why, he thought? Why this when she'd already experienced so much loss already, he wondered as he held his grieving wife against his chest. It didn't seem fair. When she was young she'd lost her life in New York and all her friends, then she lost her father and mother, and then she lost her family home by the Canadian shore that she loved so much, and now she lost their unborn baby. He squeezed her a little bit tighter and gently brushed his lips against her temple.

Blair sobbed and she worked her head back under his chin. "I wish they could have told us if it had been a boy or a girl," she whispered into him.

"It was too young to tell," Chuck replied tenderly. "You weren't very far along."

She nodded her head. "I know, but I still think it deserves a name," she cried softly. "The poor little thing never even had a chance to be named."

Chuck choked back a sob as he felt his wife's tears spill down to his chest. No, he thought, the poor thing never had a chance. "We can still name it," he soothed. "And we can ask the priest to baptize it too, if you want."

Blair looked up at her husband and managed a sad smile. She nodded. "Please, it's the least we can do."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

The service was performed in the tiny chapel inside the hospital. The baby was first christened Addison Avery Bass. Bart and Lily, Serena and Eric, and Raison and Charlotte all attended the service and were given the opportunity to say goodbye to the child that never had the opportunity to experience the sun upon it's tiny face.

Only out of the respect for his wife, Chuck bit his tongue as he watched his father enter the chapel and then bow his head as the priest began.

"When an embryo, of even a few days, is miscarried and lost to earthly existence, God completes the "substance" of the life He began into a heavenly, glorified body," the priest explained. "Christ's victory means that sin and death cannot interfere with His plan of salvation, let alone what He plans in every human fetus through DNA. In Christ we gain more than Adam lost."

""_Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, [and] I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." Jer 1:5," _he quoted.

After a few prayers were said and a few more quotes were given from the Bible, the priest quickly finished the service. "In his wisdom the Father has blessed Addison as He does all of His children, at the moment of conception. Therefore you can at peace, your child will walk among kings in the glory of God's Kingdom and you shall see Addison one day in Heaven's bright tomorrow."

Then the priest embraced both Chuck and Blair and he quietly said a few words to them in private, before he turned and left the chapel to let the family grieve.

Even Bart had to admit that he had been touched by the man's words. He hadn't been in a church of any type since the funeral service years ago for Chuck's mother. And the truth was, even though he believed that the loss of this baby really was in Chuck and Blair's best interest, he truly was sad that it had happened as it had. Had he known that Blair was in fact pregnant, he may have chosen a gentler way to deliver the horrific news to her about her father. He had known it was going to be hard on her, but he didn't want to see her in the pain she was so obviously in and he certainly didn't want her to suffer a miscarriage. "I'm truly am sorry," he said as he approached Blair and quickly hugged her.

Blair looked at her father-in-law and she nodded her head. "Thank-you, Bart," she replied through her tears. "But maybe if I'd have taken those tests earlier, we could have prevented it….."

Chuck glared at his father and he wrapped his arm protectively around his wife. "It wouldn't have made any difference, Blair," he said supportively. "You did nothing wrong!" He quickly turned her away from Bart and nodded to Lily that it was time to to intervene.

Lily approached and hugged Blair. "That was a beautiful service," she commented. "And Addison is a lovely name."

Blair nodded again and tearfully replied to her stepmother-in-law. "We didn't know whether it was a boy or girl, so we chose something androgynous."

Charlotte began to whimper for her mother and Raison finally released the anxious little girl. She hadn't seen her mother for a couple of days and wanted to be held and nursed. She didn't understand what was going on and why everyone was so sad in this funny little room.

Blair gathered their daughter in her arms and she hugged her to her breast, feeling another wave of tears coming on at the thought of never getting to hold the other little one who had passed away. "It's ok, sweetheart," she cooed in her daughter's ear. "Mommy's got you."

When the baby began to tug at Blair's hospital gown, Blair moved over to one of the pews and began to nurse her daughter. That was enough for Bart and Eric, who promptly excused themselves and went out into the corridor. Chuck quickly followed them out, wanting to have a word with his father.

"How dare you show your face here!" he growled under his breath. "And where do you get off apologizing to my wife for our loss? A loss that you alone are responsible for!"

"The doctor isn't so sure that the shock caused the miscarriage, Chuck. Sometimes these things just hap…"

Chuck grabbed his father and shoved him against the wall of the hospital. "I blame you for this!" he snapped. "Nothing else but your interference in our lives caused this to happen! And the only reason I didn't throw you out of the beginning of the service is because Blair has blocked it all out! She doesn't remember the news. She doesn't know what you've done! But when she does, I'm sure she's going to hate you as much as I do!"

Bart brought his hands up to the lapels of his jacket and he managed to pry his son's hands free. He straightened himself up and glared at Chuck. "I appreciate that you're grieving right now and I won't hold you accountable for your words," he said. "I'll see you later." And with that the man turned around and started towards for the elevator to wait for his wife.

"Don't count on it!" Chuck snapped at the man's retreating figure. Tomorrow, he thought. Tomorrow I'll get a lawyer and we're getting the hell out of that house!

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N: **I am choosing to stop the chapter here because I am emotionally drained after writing it and thought that it may have been overwhelming for a few of you too. I have a blood incompatibility problem and had five miscarriages before my daughter was born. So, for me, this chapter hit home really hard.

I decided to let Blair miscarriage here for three reasons in particular. 1) It was what the majority of my writers wanted. 2) They are young and already have enough on their plates for now. 3) This will be a turning point in the story, which needs to start to come to an end.

Anyways, thoughts and comments are always appreciated.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Blair slouched on the couch in the psychologist's office, Chuck's arm wrapped protectively around her.

"How are you coping with the loss?" the woman asked as she placed Blair's chart on her desk and looked at the grieving copy.

Blair shook her head and buried her face in her hands.

The psychologist looked over at Chuck who was stroking his young wife's back. "Chuck?"

"It's been hard very hard on us both. We hadn't even known Blair was pregnant before it was happening."

"You already have one child together, is that correct?"

Chuck nodded his head in answer. "Charlotte is almost one."

"Still an infant then?"

"Yes, she's still just a baby."

Blair looked up at the Dr. and attempted a smile. "But she has an old soul…"

"She does," Chuck agreed as he kissed his wife on the shoulder.

"Sometimes she reminds me of my father…" Blair began and then stopped at the word, unable to continue.

"Your father passed away a few years ago, Blair?" the woman asked.

Blair nodded, seemingly lost in her thoughts as tears began to pour down her face. "Yes."

"And then your mother just recently?"

She nodded. "They're gone."

The psychologist nodded and looked over at Chuck. They both knew it was imperative for Blair to understand what had happened to her father before she left the hospital. That's why they were in her office. If she was going to go into shock or lose it again, it needed to happen where she was safe and had support.

Chuck swallowed hard and cringed as the woman sought a way to help Blair release what was so unbearably painful for her that she'd locked it up deep inside. "Tell me about what happened at school Blair. Tell me what happened before you came to the hospital."

Blair closed her eyes and let her head settle against Chuck's shoulder as his arm tightened around her waist once again.

"It's ok," he reassured her.

"I finished class and came out to meet my friends like I do every lunch hour before I go home to nurse our daughter," she replied without much effort. She scowled as her mind went blank from that part on. "I…, I must have tripped or gotten dizzy or something. When I woke up, I was here…."

The psychologist looked over at Chuck and nodded.

Blair," he said gently. "There was a Gossip Girl blast….."

Blair looked at him, confusion written all over her face. "Gossip Girl? I…., I don't remember anything about Gossip Girl."

Chuck released his arm and took her hands in his. Again he swallowed hard. "It was about your father."

She looked at him and shook her head. More tears began to slip down her face. "No."

He squeezed her hands tighter and nodded at her. "It was about his death, Blair."

She shook her head harder and looked down at her lap not wanting to feel the waves of hurt wash over her as glimpses of the blast rippled through her mind. "He…, he loved us. It was an... , it was an accident. He…, he fell off the roof," she stuttered insistently as her body began to shake and her breathing changed into short, rapid pants.

"I'm so sorry," Chuck whispered as he pulled her back into his arms.

"What did the Gossip Girl blast say, Blair?" the psychologist asked, knowing she was almost there.

Blair looked up at the woman in horror. "I don't know!" she said firmly.

"What did it say, Blair?" she repeated firmly.

"No!" she screamed. "It's not true! My father loved us. He loved my mother…. He wouldn't leave us. Not like…, not like that!"

"What did it say, Blair?" the woman repeated firmly one last time as Blair folded in on herself in a heap within Chuck's embrace.

The images of the blast flashed into her head as she struggled to make them go away. But try as she might, it was there and she knew she had to face it. "It…, it said my father committed suicide….," she whispered into Chuck's shoulder. "He left us. He destroyed my mother and he left us all alone!"

"I'm sorry," Chuck cried gently into her hair as he rocked her body gently in his arms. "I really am sorry."

"He must have hated us," she concluded in agony.

"No, Blair you're wrong," the psychologist argued. "I believe he must have loved you both very much."

Blair shook her head as the tears poured onto her husband's shoulder, down to his chest. "How can you say that? He left us!"

"Not initially, he didn't. He gave up everything that he had in order to protect you and your mother from a truth that he knew would only harm you both."

Blair looked up at the woman through her tears. "No, he did it to protect himself!" she cried hoarsely. "He didn't want people to know the truth!"

"Your father was involved with the man for several years, Blair. Once Hartwick learned the truth, he blackmailed your father into letting him take it all. Your dad could have refused, stood his ground and let the story come out. He also could have left the country with the other man and reestablished himself elsewhere. But he chose to say in the United States, to give up all he had to stay with you and your mother instead. He loved you and wanted to protect you both." Chuck interjected.

Blair pulled away from Chuck. "Then why did he kill himself?" she asked sternly. "Why?"

"We're not sure, Blair," the psychologist replied gently. "Sometimes when you give up so much of yourself it leaves nothing left. Maybe your father wasn't able to cope with it any longer."

"So why didn't he just leave us and go to him then?" Blair asked desperately. "Why would he stay here just to kill himself?"

"You may never know the answer to that question, Blair. But you need to believe your father loved you. And now that the story has come out there will likely be a complex legal suit against Mr. Hartwick. What he did was illegal, and if the papers are correct, the company belongs to you and your family. They estimate the business is worth millions, Blair. It's money that rightfully belongs to you."

Blair looked up at the woman and she scowled. "I couldn't care less about the money," she cried. "It destroyed my family. It ruined my life. And…, and it made me lose our baby….."

"There's something else you need to know," Chuck said as he rubbed her back.

Blair looked at him and the color drained out of her face. "I don't think I can take anything more," she whispered.

"I know, and I'm sorry. But you need to know this. My father deliberately released that story to the press. I blame him for it all. He's the reason for the Gossip Girl blast. He's the reason for you passing out on the Met steps. And as far as I'm concerned, he's the reason we lost the baby."

"But the doctor said he wasn't sure why I lost it, Chuck! I…, I wasn't looking after myself like I did with Charlotte. I didn't have any prenatal care…."

"You did nothing wrong," he said softly as he leaned in to kiss her forehead. "You're an amazing mother. But my father knew this was going to hurt you and he released the story anyways. We can't go back there again. I don't want us living in the same house with him any longer."

"But where will we go?" Blair asked. "We're both in school and have a baby to look after. And we can't go back to Canada. He would never allow it!"

"Your husband went to speak with a lawyer earlier today and then spoke to the social worker here at the hospital. You are about to come into a great deal of money, Blair. And Chuck will get his trust fund next spring when he turns eighteen. The lawyer will set up a contract with a bank for a line of credit. It'll be enough to support you and your family until the money comes in from both of you. And Chuck will be emancipated. He is old enough and has proven that he is responsible for not only himself, but for a wife and a child too. He supported you both last year in another country, right?"

Blair nodded her head slowly as the volume of information swirled around in her brain. She finally put her hands over her face and curled up against her husband's chest, almost feeling like she couldn't breath. . "I…, I think I need to lie down," she managed.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Never before had Chuck been more afraid for her than he had been this evening. She had looked so frail, so lost in the little hospital bed, that he couldn't help but climb in next to her and wrap himself around her tiny frame. She was so cold, he noted, and he covered them up with extra blankets from the foot of the bed. He held onto her as though she was about to fall off a staggering precipice. He had no idea how close he was.

Blair hadn't spoken a word since they had left the psychologist's office. The nurses had presented her with a paper cup containing two pills and a glass of water which she took with out question. She was close to shutting down again; her mind was in such agony that she couldn't process much of anything, any more. She was in fact hovering somewhere between coherence and nothingness, a place where waves of loss stretched before her like so many endless fields of grass on a prairie.

"We're going to be ok," he whispered into the soft curve of her neck. "You, and me, and Charlotte. We won't let this hurt us….. And next summer, we'll go back to your parent's cottage by the ocean. We'll see Bill and catch lobsters and watch Charlotte splash in the waves….," he offered.

It's not that his words were lost to her. She heard what he was saying but it sounded muffled, as though he were in another room with the door shut between them. She squeezed her eyes tight as she felt tears spill onto her face. She wanted to wipe them off but wasn't sure how to move her arms. She felt completely numb from head to toe and didn't even feel her husband holding her close against his chest.

The fields of grass soon morphed into waves on the beach and it was as though she were a pebble on the shore, being washed over and over again with ice-cold water, piercing her skin relentlessly as each wave of pain struck over and over again. She didn't see or hear Lily enter the room, nor did she feel Chuck let her go and slip off the bed to greet his step-mother.

Chuck was thankful that Lily hadn't brought Bart along with her. He didn't think he could handle the sight of his father, especially now with his wife so battered just a few steps away from them.

Lily unwrapped her coat and Chuck grinned when his daughter poker her head out of the fur and smiled up at her daddy. "I gave Raison the night off," the woman replied as she held the child out to her father.

"Daa," Charlotte cooed as she wrapped her little arms around her father's neck.

Chuck hugged his daughter and gently blew a raspberry on the baby's cheek causing Charlotte to erupt into fits of giggles.

"I want mommy," Charlotte said as she snuggled against Chuck's chest.

"Mommy isn't feeling well, baby" Chuck explained as he pointed to the bed where his wife lay curled up into a ball facing away from everyone.

"What's going on, Charles?" Lily asked with concern.

"The psychologist helped Blair remember the Gossip Girl blast. She's in shock, Lily. How could she not be after hearing the truth? The nurses gave her some medicine that should have knocked her out by now, but she's just been lying there all evening. I'm really worried about her, she's been through so much."

"The poor girl," Lily replied. "Is she going to be all right?"

"I hope so. She's stronger than she looks. I'm sure she'll be ok," he answered, hoping his words were true. He adjusted his now wriggling daughter on his hip. "But we'll never live under the same roof as my father again," he said firmly. "The lawyer has arranged a line of credit for us with the bank until she gets her money and I get my trust fund."

"But you're both still in school! Where will you live?" Lily asked.

Chuck finally put Charlotte down and he looked over at his stepmother. "I'm not sure and I really don't care, as long as it's away from him."

Lily scowled as she thought. "Well I still have the suite I was living in with Eric and Serena before I married your father," she replied. "It's close by and is already furnished. There's even enough room for Raison if you wanted," she offered even though she knew it would likely piss off her husband.

Chuck nodded, thinking it would be easy enough to just take over that suite as Lily suggested. "That might be a good choice for now until we finish the school year, as long as Blair agrees."

"Mommy!" Charlotte screeched as she pulled at the blankets that were covering her mother. "I wanna nurse!"

"Charlotte, mommy isn't feeling well. Let me get you a snack, instead" Chuck offered as he walked over to the side of the bed where the little girl stood, trying to climb up to her mom. But as he took hold of his daughter, and attempted to pull her away, Charlotte held the blankets fast and began to cry aloud. "I want my mommy!"

The harder Chuck tried to remove her, the firmer the adamant child would clutch on, and the louder she'd scream for her mother. Finally he just sighed and moved the child up onto the bed beside Blair.

Blair frowned at the screeching noises that seemed to break up the waves and interrupt the pattern they were making on her and the other pebbles. She blinked back more tears and swallowed, happy to have seemingly found her breath again. She could feel something prodding at her shoulders, back and then at her belly and she frowned again as the screeching became clearer until the frantic cries of "Mommy!" came through loud and clear.

Blair looked up into the eyes of her daughter and a slight smile formed on her lips. Slowly, she edged her arm out from under the blanket and brought her hand up to her child's back. "You hungry, sweetheart?" she asked weakly.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

A/N: another long wait for this chapter. Sorry again. I have had too little motivation and a houseful of company which certainly hindered the writing. Happy Thanksgiving Day to my fellow Canadians as well as everyone else. And I am thankful for Season 6 tomorrow night. They had better make it right!


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

**A/N: hanks to all of you who are still following this story. It will be wrapping up very soon.**

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

"I think it's still too early," Chuck commented with a frown as he watched Blair hurriedly put on her mascara. "I can bring your homework home to you."

Blair adamantly shook her head. "I know you want me to wait until after Christmas, but I feel like I need to go back now. There's already too much gossip circulating around. I…, I need to put things back in order before we go away for the holiday."

She applied her lipstick and wrapped her arms around her husband. "I love you for caring about me so much, but it's time for me to face the hounds." She pecked him softly on the cheek and then quickly wiped the lip print off of him.

Charlotte was babble-singing along with Raison in the kitchen as she was eating her cheerios from the tray of her high chair. Upon seeing her mother the baby smiled and raised her arms to be lifted up.

Blair helped Charlotte up and then received a sticky kiss on the mouth from her daughter. She stroked the baby's soft cheek and kissed her temple. "Be a good girl for Raison, ok? Mommy has to go to school today."

Charlotte nodded her head and smiled. "K," she replied and then reached out towards her chair, wanting more cereal.

Blair slid her back into the highchair and she grabbed a yogurt out of the fridge and a plastic spoon from the pantry of their kitchen. The simplicity of it made her smile. She was getting _their _food out of _their_ kitchen! After so many months of living under the Van der Bass roof, Chuck and Blair finally had their own place to call home.

They had arrived only a couple of days before, once the psychologist determined Blair was emotionally stable enough to leave the hospital. Lily had made good on her word and, despite the bitter protests from her husband, she had her former penthouse readied for the young family to move into and then happily turned over the keys over to them.

"Limo's waiting," Chuck informed her as he stopped to kiss their daughter and grab his books off the counter.

Blair grabbed her book-bag and followed Chuck down to the street where their very own limo waited for them. They both piled into the backseat where Chuck hastily pulled his wife onto his lap.

He began to nuzzle behind her ear and Blair turned in his lap to straddle him. Soon the two were hungrily kissing each other until the limo pulled up to the curb just outside their school. Chuck groaned in frustration as Blair slipped off his lap. "I need to go," she said with an edge of sass in her voice and a twinkle in her eye.

Chuck smirked at her. "I need a moment before I dare follow," he grumbled sheepishly.

Blair smirked back and she nodded her head. "Of course you do!"

He watched her cross the street as she made her way to the Met steps to meet Serena and the other girls. His grin turned to a frown. He was worried what would happen today. It was Blair's first day back to school since the horrific Gossip Girl blast and the miscarriage of their second child.

Blair approached the group of girls, refusing to let their sudden silence faze her. She held her head up high, wanting to be strong. She climbed the steps and took her place next to Serena. She took her yogurt and spoon out of her bag as though it was a regular day and nothing traumatic had occurred recently.

"B! I didn't think you were coming today," Serena commented with surprise upon seeing her sister in law. "Are you ok?"

Blair looked at Serena and smiled brightly. "Of course I am," she replied confidently. "You don't think I'm going to let any Upper East Side Gossip hound throw me off, do you?"

"Is it true?" Amanda Evans asked, unable to help herself.

"Is what true?" Blair asked.

"About your father? Did he really…, you know? Commit suicide?"

Blair held her head up and managed to find her reserve. "Not that it's anyone's business, but that's what they are saying. However that remains to be seen in a court of law," she replied confidently.

"How terrible!" several of the girls responded all at the same time.

"But you're going to be rich now, right?" another student asked. "The new papers say that the Hartwick man was blackmailing your father."

Blair managed a smile. "Again, that will be decided in court," Blair replied. She looked at the group in front of her sternly. "And as I am likely to be called to testify, I have been advised by my lawyer that I am not at liberty to discuss this with any of you."

She then turned to change the subject with Serena. "I understand Penelope has been spreading tales about you and that boy from Brooklyn you've started seeing," she stated.

"Ah, yes," Serena began, happy to take the attention off of Blair. "I think she might be a little bit jealous."

"I heard she and Iz actually stalked him on the weekend at some art show his father was hosting uptown," Hazel added.

"Well, this is no good ladies," Blair said. "We have to come up with a plan to get her out of the picture before she ruins things for Serena. We need more intel on this….."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

For the rest of the morning Blair ignored the stares and whispers from a few students as well as teachers around the school. She was pleased that no one else questioned her about the incident from the previous week. But when lunch hour came and Blair passed by Penelope and a couple of her other friends, she nearly lost her composure when the comments came.

"She thinks she's better than all of us," Penny sneered loud enough for Blair to hear as she came down the hall towards the small gathering. "What a trashy little hypocrite, she is! Little whore was pregnant at fifteen! And a runaway! Now we find out that her father was a queer as well as a nut job! And I don't buy that she fainted from the news. I heard she's pregnant again!"

Blair blanched as she saw the eyes of the girls and several other students meet hers. She took a big breath and held her head high, meeting their gazes straight on. She dared not lower her eyes or run away in tears like she wanted to do, but knew she had to stop it there. Calmly she approached the bitch, clenching her fists so hard that her nails drew blood from her palms. She was prepared. After all, she'd been expecting this response all along.

"It's interesting that you would call me a hypocrite and make such rude comments to me, Penelope," she began. "When you have less class than anyone else I've ever met in this school. Your comments are tasteless and cruel. You find pleasure at the expense of the misfortune of others and then try and draw attention to yourself with it. Imagine making fun of someone who lost- not only their home and friends through misfortune, but all of their family as well. And my father may have been gay and had issues coming to terms with it, but at least he tried to protect us as long as he could. He could have run off and abandoned us, but he didn't! Besides, I thought you were all for gay relationships. Isn't that why you were making out with Iz and Hillary in the shower room after gym class a few weeks ago?"

"And as far as my personal sexual history with my _husband _goes, you should worry more about your own reputation around this school. I mean didn't you have a pregnancy scare yourself when you were in ninth grade from some doped up sophomore from St. Judes? And weren't you involved in a three-way last summer with a couple of junior executives from you father's company?"

Penelope turned ash white over Blair's comments and swallowed hard. She couldn't figure out how the hell the girl had learned all of that? She shifted her eyes to Iz, who was shamefully looking down at the floor tiles with a red face.

Blair was encouraged. "And if it turns out that my father was blackmailed into abandoning his company as the papers and Gossip Girl are saying, then I will retain my family's former wealth and clear their good name!"

"In fact," Chuck added as he came to stand beside his wife in defense. "If that happens, Blair's likely going to be wealthier than any of your families are put together. And on top of that, if she chooses to buy back Waldorf designs and get it back up to its former glory, then she'll be one of the wealthiest women in all of North America."

He wrapped his arm around his wife and gently placed a kiss on her cheek. "It's time for lunch, love. Come and eat with me and Serena before you head home to nurse our daughter," he added.

"Ew! How positively gross!" Penelope managed with false importance as she turned around, slammed her locker shut and stormed off down the hall.

"If she weren't a girl, I'd have hit her," Chuck grumbled under his breath as he held his wife a little closer to him. "Are you ok?"

Blair let out a sigh of relief and nodded. Once the few other students realised the confrontation was over and finally left the hall, she confessed. "I didn't think I could do it. All these hateful things just kept coming out of her mouth. And I was so angry I wanted to hit her too!"

"But you didn't! You stood up for your family and for yourself and put the bitch back in her place," he remarked with pride.

"But why did you mention Waldorf designs?" Blair asked. "We never talked about anything like that."

"Because I know you. And I know that when school and all this mess about your father is finished with, you're likely going to want to bring your mother's good name and her designs back to the Upper East Side where they belong, right?"

"I have to admit I like the sound of that," she admitted as she leaned against his chest, welcoming the comfort such a simple act enabled. "And if I have as much talent as Ms. Rowbury thinks I have, that just might be something I really can do."

"I love you," he said as he kissed her soundly.

"I love you too, Chuck," she replied as she kissed him once again. Her day seemed a little brighter after that.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Blair had a follow up appointment with her psychologist early that afternoon and then met with Lily afterwards to interview potential maids for their new home. "I'm so sorry this is causing problems for you and Bart," she offered as the two women read over and discussed the resumes of the women they were about to interview.

Lily smiled sadly and shrugged. "The issues between Chuck and his father go further back than you and I," she admitted. "But I am not about to support Bart when it comes to this. Although he may not have intended to hurt you, he still did. And I am going to do whatever I can to help bring peace and bridge the gap between Chuck and his father."

Blair took her hands in hers and squeezed them. "Thank-you, Lily. We really do appreciate your support. And this suite is lovely. It's already beginning to feel like home….. It kind of reminds me of where I used to live in the city when I was a child."

"Well as long as you're all happy here, then it's perfect. You can stay as long as you'd like."

The interview process was long and tedious, but Blair finally chose a young, round, Polish woman named Dorota from the contenders to be their housekeeper. She was pleasant and enthusiastic and Blair felt a connection to the woman immediately. "I think she'll be perfect," she told Chuck later that evening as they lay curled around each other in their bed.

"Whatever makes you happy," he replied as he kissed the spot he loved where her ear connected to her jawbone and lovely neck.

Blair smiled momentarily and then tried to clear away the thoughts that had been plaguing her every evening since she'd lost her unborn child and learned the truth of her father's death. She may have seemed at peace on exterior, but she was still far from happy. She snuggled closer to her husband and fought off the tears that still wanted to fall.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

As the week rolled along, things seemed to settle down at school. Serena was becoming more involved in the Brooklyn boy she was seeing and Blair seemed to take over with the minions with her sister in law's absence. But the gathering of girls around her was an even larger one than the queen had. Since Blair's confrontation of Penelope on Monday, some of the old minions who'd left Serena to follow Penelope initially now returned to the group, and a few new girls begun to hang around as well, hoping to earn the status of the seasoned minions. In all of this, Blair found herself caught up in senior high school politics and Gossip Girl was ever aware of the apparent shift in the Constance monarchy.

By Friday things had pretty well returned to normal and everyone parted ways to enjoy the holiday season with friends and family.

When Chuck and Blair's emancipation papers were finally approved and signed and their line of credit was set up with the bank, the couple was free to do what they needed to do without worry. And the first thing they both agreed to do was to take a trip back north to the cottage with their daughter to spend Christmas. It was the break they all needed after the hectic semester in the city.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

**A/N: **I am so excited about the promise of their engagement on the show that it nearly brings me to tears. Comments and feedback are always appreciated.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

"More!" Charlotte cried as the toboggan came to rest at the bottom of the snow covered dune. Chuck laughed and he lifted his daughter up, happy to oblige the excited child in her play. Blair giggled and merrily snapped photos of the two as they prepared to ride down the gentle slope once again.

They'd arrived at the cottage late the previous evening, exhausted after the long ride from Halifax in the SUV that Chuck had rented. Despite the four wheel drive function on the vehicle, Chuck had found the roads to be very icy and the visibility had been poor due to drifting snow. It had also been colder than the two of them could remember it being from the previous winter. Regardless, they'd been thrilled to be back at the cottage and on the little farm by the coast with their daughter.

Although the cottage was warm because of the electric heat from the solar panels, once inside, Chuck had immediately started a fire in the large fireplace anyways. They'd soon unloaded their stuff and gotten Charlotte nursed and settled into bed for the night before they both collapsed in the oversized chairs in front of it. It wasn't long after that, that the two of them made their way into their room to curl up together and fall fast asleep.

But after breakfast the next morning, none of them could wait to get out into the cold, fresh air and play in the snow. They'd been at it all morning!

Blair put her camera back in her pocket and called out to her husband. "I'm going to start making lunch for us."

Chuck looked up at his wife and grinned. Even after just one night, Blair looked more relaxed then she'd been in ages. He was pleased they'd agreed to the holiday at the cottage. "I'd love some chowder if you want to make it," he commented hopefully. It had been a long time since he'd had their former staple meal and something hearty and comforting would be good after playing outside for most of the morning. Besides that, he was starving.

Blair poked around in the deep freeze and pantry until she was satisfied that she had enough stuff to throw together to make them some chowder. She watched her husband and daughter continue at play through the tiny kitchen window and she felt a calm wash over her that she hadn't felt in months. When the chowder was bubbling, she lowered the temperature and covered it to simmer. She had a good hour at least until it would be cooked and she had things to do.

She slipped on a jacket and her boots and headed out into the garage. In the storage area in the back she found several large boxes and a wooden crate that held the few remaining sentimental items that had belonged to her family: a photo album, a scrap book, several sketch and pattern books, a few CDs and some older computer floppy disks, and some jewelry. She took the boxes back inside to the master bedroom and sat them down on the floor beside their bed.

Next she went into the closet and turned on the light, tearing up almost immediately. Several of her mother's gowns, wrapped in willowy plastic, hung motionless together like lost ghosts of former glory, forgotten over time. She ran her hand over them, identifying a few that she knew her mother had worn years before to social events in Manhattan, and a slight smile formed despite her tears, her mother's beauty rekindled in her memory.

Other dresses and gowns had never been meant for her mother, but were projects semi-completed when Eleanor was forced to give up her business during the economic crisis, as well as her own personal family one. Blair remembered how her mother had insisted she finish the projects, even though the customers they'd been designed for could no longer afford to purchase the gowns. There were other dresses and outfits as well, many designed and sewn just for the love of practicing her craft and when Eleanor could afford the luxury of time and material.

She must have known about my father, Blair thought sadly as she fingered the delicate stitches of one particular gown. She must have known that he was gay and in a relationship with another man…. And the sadness that overwhelmed her heart at how her mother must have grieved alone, filled her. "If only I had known," she whispered to herself. "I could have been there for her. Maybe…, just maybe she wouldn't have gotten so sick and then died."

A short while later, Chuck found his wife in tears at the foot of their bed, with several opened boxes and dresses draped all over the comforter. Quietly he sat behind and wrapped his arms around her, pulling Blair against his chest. He appreciated that she needed to grieve and he let her cry until Charlotte pattered into the room and climbed onto her mother's lap. The child, sensing her Blair's sorrow, stood and laid an icy red cheek on her mother's warm neck.

The gesture made Blair smile and she managed a little laugh. "Your face is freezing, baby," she said as she lifted her head and wiped her eyes. "Let's get you some lunch, ok?"

"Kiss," Charlotte said to her mother as the child felt Blair pulling away.

Chuck released his grip on her and Blair slid Charlotte off her lap and stood up, scooping up their daughter to cuddle and kiss her. Together the three of them walked into the kitchen where they sat together and had their meal in silence.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

Later, after Charlotte had had an impressive nap, they all bundled up and climbed into the SUV to go into town for some supplies and to stop by Bill's store for a few fresher grocery items and a visit.

The man was hunched over the counter at the front of the store, filling an order sheet for the next delivery. "I'll be with you in a minute," he spoke as he finished working out a calculation.

Although it had been months since she'd seen him, Charlotte recognised the older man right away and started to squirm and grunt as she attempted to get down from her daddy's arms and run to him.

Bill heard the grunts and looked up quickly to see what was making the noise, a grin quickly spreading from ear to ear as he realised the significance of his company.

It was more than Charlotte could bear. She began to cry, arms outstretched, until Chuck finally just put the little girl down to go. The child immediately ran to Bill who scooped her up and twirled her around, just as he remembered her loving.

"What a big girl you're getting to be!" he praised and he hugged the child close.

Charlotte laid her head on his shoulder for a moment and then pulled away. She ran her hand along the scruffy whiskers she remembered him having, and then cuddled in close to him again, mumbling, "Fuzzy-wuzzy."

"I'm so pleased she remembers me," Bill admitted as he fought back the tears that wanted to come. He'd been lonely once Blair and her daughter had moved back to the cottage and then on to the big city.

"Of course she remembers you," Blair reassured him as she approached the man and gave him a little hug. "You were so good to her….., to all of us. You're part of our family, you know."

"You look great, Bill," Chuck commented as he walked over to shake the man's hand.

"And you all look so well," the old man observed as he patted Charlotte gently on the back. "The city must be treating you all right."

Chuck looked over at his wife and they exchanged a glance that wasn't lost on Bill.

"Let me close up for an hour or so and we'll have some tea," the old man suggested as he walked over to lock the door and put a sign in the window. "You can tell me what's going on upstairs."

Up in the apartment, Charlotte pulled out all of Bill's tupperware containers from a lower cupboard and stacked them neatly into a tower as the adults settled around the kitchen table with thick mugs of tea to talk. Bill frowned as he heard much of what had happened in the city and was positively scowling after hearing about the newest scandal. He shook his head. "It's not right what they've done to you, Blair. I can't stand that Mr. Bass would go and set you up like that!" he exclaimed as Charlotte began to beat on a couple of pots with a wooden spoon-come drumstick she'd spotted.

Blair took the noisy utensil away from the baby and gave her Chuck's keys to play with instead. "I don't know what to do, Bill. When this goes to trial I'm going to have to live through it all over again. I don't think I can do it."

"You don't have to, Blair. It doesn't have to go to court if you don't want it to. I have more than enough money in my trust fund to support us," Chuck reminded her.

"I don't think it's just about the money, Chuck, is it Blair?" Bill interjected. "She's got to be feeling like she needs to stand up to that man after what he's done to her and her family. It's not right that he's taken everything away from them like he has." The old man looked at Blair for confirmation and she managed to nod.

She knew he was right. No matter how painful the trial was likely to be she was had to face it, not for financial necessity, but because this entire incident destroyed her entire family. She owed it to them to oust Hartwick. Besides, her father's secret was already out. The man could do nothing more to hurt them then he already had. She just was already so overwhelmed that the thought of more seemed to suffocate her.

Once that ugliness was out of the way, the rest of their visit with Bill was pleasant. Chuck refrained at telling him about them losing another child knowing it would only upset the old man and Blair both. Instead they roasted chestnuts and sang carols and Bill read Charlotte a couple of stories while she cuddled on his lap and lazily stroked his fuzzy whiskers. Finally, after Bill decided he needed to end the visit and reopen the store, the Bass family said their goodbyes, making sure that Bill knew they'd saved him a place at their table for Christmas dinner.

Back at home the family ate the leftover chowder with some fresh buns they'd purchased at the store before t bathing and settling their daughter into her bed. Now as they sat curled together on the over large sofa, Chuck suggestively ran his hand over his wife's thigh and he leaned in to kiss her on the neck.

"Ready to turn in?" he asked as his index finger circled around her knee.

Blair nodded and headed into the bathroom to prepare while he secured the fire in the fireplace and locked up for the evening. She began to fill the bathtub, adding some scented bubbles and then brushed her teeth. Just as she was settling into the water, Chuck popped his head inside the bathroom door.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked with a seductive grin.

Blair blushed a little and smiled back. "If you don't mind a snug fit."

He stepped inside and closed the door behind him and lit a candle that was sitting on a higher shelf above the sink. "That's the best kind," he replied sheepishly while removing his clothes. He shut the lights off and made his way over to the tub.

Blair made room for him and he quickly slipped into the water behind her, grimacing slightly over how hot she liked her bath. He eased himself down into the water, gently so as not to scald his delicate man parts. Finally he was in and he encircled his wife in his arms, pulling her back against his chest.

"Ummm," Blair purred as she felt her husband's hands circle around her flat stomach. She placed her hands on his thighs, massaging them while he caressed her belly.

Chuck leaned into his wife and he gently nipped at the nape of her neck, causing shivers to run over Blair's skin. He picked up the cloth and some soap and began to gently wash her back and then rest of her body. After he'd rinsed her clean he kissed along her along the side of her neck until his tender lips came just under her left ear.

"I want to make love to you," he cooed seductively.

Blair felt her husband harden behind her and she tightened her grip on his thighs. They hadn't been intimate since she'd lost the baby, even though the doctor had said they could have sex a couple of weeks after her bleeding had ceased. She was almost as nervous as she'd been that first night with him long ago, she thought. "I'm kind of scared," she admitted.

"I know you are, sweetheart," he acknowledged sincerely. "But there's nothing to be afraid of. You're on the pill and the doctor said you're all right now," he reminded her as he continued to kiss her softly.

She nodded, remembering that another pregnancy wasn't likely to happen to them since she'd begun taking the pill immediately following her miscarriage. "I know," she acknowledged. She sat up and then changed positions so that she was now straddling him. She took the cloth and soap and began to wash him too. When he was clean and rinsed she put down the cloth and leaned in to kiss him on the mouth. "I've missed this too," she admitted as she let her mouth work its way along his jaw line, enjoying the feeling of how turned on he was getting under her.

Chuck groaned and he pulled her body closer to his, running his hands up the silky wet skin of her back. He leaned in and began to kiss along her neck and throat until her head tipped back in pleasure. He groaned again, looking at the swell of her exposed breasts. She closed her eyes as Chuck's mouth moved long her damp and heated flesh and moaned in pleasure as his tongue teased each hardened nipple.

When she could stand it no longer she opened her eyes and lifted herself until his length brushed against her core. She smiled watching his eyes darken and their gaze held as she quickly sunk down upon his straining length.

Chuck swore as the shock of filling her so quickly nearly made him cum. He held her still, making love to her mouth with his while his body recovered from her assault. When his body was steady, his hands found her hips and he lifted her slightly, encouraging her to continue her ministrations on him.

Later that evening they made love again and then again after that, each time more passionately than the previous until they were both completely satiated and spent. As they lay entwined in each other's arms drifting off together in sleep, they agreed it was a good thing that their daughter was such a sound sleeper.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

A few days before Christmas they bundled and loaded Charlotte into the truck and headed into Halifax to do a little Christmas shopping. The baby's eyes were large as saucers while they combed the mall looking for gifts for their family members, Bill and each other.

"Want it!" Charlotte screeched again as the couple strolled along the aisles of Toys R Us looking for gift ideas that caught their daughter's eye.

"No, love," Chuck said with guilt to his daughter. "It's too close to Christmas. If you've been a good girl, maybe Santa will bring it for you."

It was almost more than he could bear to see his daughter cry when the toy was seemingly ignored and left behind as they continued on in the store. The child had never been denied anything that had caught her eye in her young life before and it was hard on all of them.

Blair noted the item mentally, preparing to come back and purchase it and a few others a little later on, before they finished shopping and headed back to the cottage. She sighed, also hating to see her daughter cry, but understood that it wasn't in Charlotte's best interest to always give her everything she wanted. The young mother understood that getting everything one desired in life was unrealistic and could only lead to heartbreak and disappointment in later years. Besides, spoiled children were often seen as brats, and she did not want her daughter to become one of them, regardless of how much money they were likely to have in the future.

By noon Charlotte was getting cranky and the little family headed to a large family play area that the mall provided next to the food fair and Santa's Village. After a few minutes they found a table close to a big screen TV where festive holiday films were playing for the kids. Blair went to get some lunch for them and then quietly slipped away to purchase a few more presents while the baby was preoccupied with her meal.

Charlotte was so mesmerized by the cartoons that she scarcely remembered the food on her tray in front of her. Chuck laughed while he watched the child delight in the Charlie Brown Christmas Special and some other cartoon about Santa Clause. And when jolly old St. Nick showed up himself, handing out candy canes to the children, the little girl shrieked out of both fascination and fear of him.

"I think we should let her sit on Santa's knee," Chuck suggested when his wife returned with their packages and had finished her lunch. "She really doesn't know what to think of him."

Blair grinned as she dug in her bag. "I have my camera," she replied merrily as she held it up. "And I think a picture of Charlotte with Santa is a wonderful idea. It would make a lovely gift for Lily and Bart," she added.

Chuck frowned, not appreciating the reminder of his father and stepmother. He had not been pleased to hear that Blair had invited the family up for Christmas Day and they'd accepted.

Blair chuckled and gently stroked her husband's face. "I know what you're thinking, Chuck; but they're family and family is important. Especially around the holidays."

He closed his eyes, sighed and nodded. Although his family had hurt her horribly, it amazed him that his wife sincerely did want a relationship with all of them. Blair had already lost so much in her life that she insisted on keeping the relationship going with the other Bass family members. He opened his eyes and looked at her. "I really love you," he told her in defeat.

Chuck gathered up their daughter after Blair had wiped the child's sticky face and hands and had brushed out her wild curls. After a final adjustment of Charlotte's hair bows and outfit, the family got in line behind the other families waiting to see Santa.

Charlotte stared in open-mouthed wonder as children of all sizes sat upon the lap of the large, scary man with more whiskers than she'd ever witnessed on anyone in her young life. When it was her time to see Santa and she realized where her daddy was carting her to, she began to scream and cry in both excitement and fear. But when Chuck sat his daughter down on Santa's lap, she went ballistic!

"What do I do?" Chuck asked his wife with frustration, noting the smirk that was on forming on Blair's face, as she stood positioned with her camera.

Although wanting a Santa picture, Blair was quite pleased that Charlotte was weary of strangers and didn't want to sit on the man's lap. Besides, it presented a fantastic, once in a lifetime opportunity that she couldn't help but exploit. "I guess you'll have to join her, Daddy," she sang with a grin.

Chuck frowned. It had been years since he had sat on Santa's lap and the embarrassment of the very idea brought immediate color to his face.

"Chuck, hurry before she gets too blotchy for a picture!" Blair snapped in good humor, trying to keep from laughing. That she should get a picture of Chuck with Santa was priceless in her mind.

Chuck hurried over to his daughter and retrieved her off Santa's lap before things got even worse. "Sorry," he apologized to the now irritated man who was trying to clear the ringing in his ears. "I'm going to sit with her and see if that helps." He sighed and sat down on Santa's lap, watching the grin spread across his wife's face as she began filming.

"See, Charlotte. It's ok," Chuck cooed to his daughter helping her to settle "Santa really is a nice man. He's going to bring you toys for Christmas."

Charlotte's screaming stopped now that her daddy had rejoined her and was himself sitting upon the fat man's lap. Shyly she turned and looked at Santa and brought her hand up to stroke the silky beard that continued to mesmerize her. "Whiskers!" she exclaimed as she brought her head closer to explore them further.

"Easy with the beard, kid," Santa mumbled, concerned she was about to pull it off of him.

"Chuck laughed. It's just new to her," he said. "And a little scary."

The man wasn't convinced. "Well then, come on you two and tell Santa what you want for Christmas," he said, trying to be jolly despite the fact he had a grown man on his lap. "We're backing things up here."

Finally they were heading back to cottage in the SUV, Charlotte fast asleep in her car seat after a most exhausting day. "Next year, you get to do the honors," Chuck grumbled as Blair forwarded through the pictures she'd taken, showing him selective favorites.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Blair replied with a chuckle. "I think you secretly enjoyed sitting on Santa's lap. Besides," she added mischievously with a wink, "You both looked totally adorable to me."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

It was Christmas eve morning when they bundled up their daughter and took the toboggan out in the frigid morning air, and headed out across the property to look for their Christmas tree. When they came to a wooded area with several different kinds of evergreen trees growing in it, Chuck stopped dragging the toboggan and suggested they begin their search in there.

There were several fat, healthy trees, several of which would be perfect for decorating in their living room. Chuck picked up his daughter from the toboggan and held onto her as he and Blair scrutinized the lot of them, looking for their perfect tree.

When Blair found one that looked like it would be beautiful, she stroked its branches and smiled at her daughter. "Look sweetheart," she said enthusiastically. "This is our new Christmas tree. Isn't it beautiful?"

But Blair's cheerful smile slowly changed into a frown when Charlotte firmly shouted, "No!" and then promptly began to cry.

Chuck bounced the baby in his arms to try and settle her. "What's wrong, Bubba?" he asked.

Charlotte pointed to a clump of smaller and somewhat gnarly looking trees and bushes they had just passed by moments ago and shouted, "Tree!

Chuck frowned. "No, no, love. Those trees are too small for a Christmas tree. We need to choose a fat, healthy tree for Christmas."

But Charlotte seemed to disagree as she shouted, "Tree!" once again and pointed to the clump of bushes.

"Put her down, Chuck," Blair said to her husband. "I want to see what she's upset about."

Chuck complied and put the child down and the young parents watched as their daughter toddled over to the bushes where a clump of younger trees struggled to grow beneath some towering giants. A moment later she stopped and wrapped her arms around a small, scrawny and strangely misshapen tree, much to the surprise of her parents. "Tree!" she said enthusiastically.

Chuck snorted and he tried to withhold his laughter as he watched the look of sheer horror spread across his wife's face.

"You have got to be kidding!" Blair blurted as she watched her daughter begin to babble to what had to be the ugliest looking tree that she'd ever seen in her life.

Charlotte stroked the soft needles of the spindly branches of the thing, cooing to it lovingly in her sweet baby voice. To her it looked like the tree from the wonderful cartoon she'd watched in the play area of the mall they'd been to in Halifax and she dearly loved the poor thing. "Tree!" she blurted out again as she turned to her parents and smiled.

"Oh, honey, no," Blair coaxed as she pointed to a more decent contender nearby. "This is a Christmas tree. That is a,… a branch."

Charlotte scowled and shook her head adamantly. "Tree!" she insisted as she hugged the poor thing again. "My tree!"

Chuck didn't dare offer his opinion on the subject realizing that this was likely the first of many mother and daughter disagreements he'd be subjected to witnessing in the future.

"But this tree is really little, Charlotte," Blair said with a frown. "It won't hold many decorations and Santa won't be able to fit many presents under it," she coaxed.

Chuck scowled at his wife, thinking that she wasn't really playing fair. "I highly doubt she can conceive what presents are, Blair," he commented neutrally.

Blair sighed and looked up to her husband with love. "I know. It's her first Christmas and she should have the tree she wants. It's just that that little tree is so very, very ugly!"

"But to her it's beautiful," he said as he watched his daughter continue talking to the homely looking thing.

Blair sighed again realizing the right thing to do. "You're right, Chuck. I guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder," she admitted. She walked over to Charlotte and squatted down next to her. "You want this tree for Christmas, baby?"

"My tree," Charlotte replied as she stroked the willowy needles.

She lay hugging the tree on the toboggan all the way back to the cottage, patting and consoling the ugly thing after the traumatic event she'd witnessed as Chuck had cut it down. Charlotte had been mortified to see Chuck sawing at the thing's tiny trunk, and had screamed as though her father was sawing her in half, instead of the tree.

But once it had been tied down safely onto the toboggan and Blair had spread her blanket over it to "keep it warm", Charlotte had settled down, content to talk to the little tree the entire ride home. The child drifted off to sleep just as the family returned to the little cottage by the shore.

"If you put her down for her nap I'll see if trimming a few branches off of the thing will make it more attractive," Chuck suggested as he lifted the sleeping baby up in his arms and handed her over to her mother.

Blair nodded, taking the baby from him and kissed her softly on her little, frozen, red cheek as Chuck began to untie the little tree from the sled. She couldn't help but manage a bit of a smile. It won't ever be a beautiful tree, she thought with amusement, but it certainly will be one we'll never likely forget.

Later after they'd fed, bathed and tucked their little one in for the night, Charlotte's parents finished wrapping gifts and stuffing her stocking. Blair sighed as she surveyed the brightly colored packages and other things under the scrawny tree. "This sure is different than last Christmas," she reminisced."

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

Blair was up earlier than her husband and daughter the next morning, happy to get the fire going and get ahead start on their breakfast and begin prepping for Christmas dinner. Once she was organized she woke Chuck and then peeked her head in to see their daughter sitting up in the corner of her crib, talking to her favorite teddy bear. "Are you hungry, love?" she asked.

Charlotte put her bear down and stood in the crib, lifting one leg up to try climbing out. "Want up," she replied energetically.

Blair caught her daughter before she went over the side of the crib and quickly placed her on the change table to clean and diaper her. She then took the baby to a small rocking chair her father had made years ago and settled in it to nurse the baby.

Charlotte was beginning to wean but still enjoyed nursing a couple of times a day. And although Blair acknowledged the time to wean her was approaching, she wasn't in a hurry to push the child. She enjoyed the bonding time as much as Charlotte did. When the child was finished she sat up and looked at her mother. "Cheerios?" she asked.

Blair laughed. "Ok, love. Lets go and get some breakfast."

But Charlotte's eyes grew huge when she entered the living room only to see her little tree all a-glow with the beautiful decorations and pretty lights on it. The colorful packages underneath also caught her eye and she squealed in delight. "My tree!" Breakfast was quickly forgotten.

Chuck laughed and clicked away with Blair's camera as his daughter delighted in the tree and gifts. "Stocking first?" he asked sheepishly.

Bair nodded and grinned. "I guess breakfast can wait for a bit," she replied as Chuck pulled Charlotte's stuffed little stocking off from where it hung on the mantle and brought it over to her.

They sat on the sofa watching as their daughter began to pull goodies out of her stocking. Charlotte squealed with delight over each new surprise and treasure. When the stocking was finished they took a break and had breakfast, knowing Bill was going to be joining them shortly for the gift opening.

Bill showed up a little later, hauling a bag of presents and a Christmas goose ready for Blair to cook in a large roasting pan. Charlotte excitedly grabbed at the man's pant legs eager to show him her tree and the presents Santa had brought them.

"That's quite the tree," Bill noted with humor as he eyed the scrawny thing in the corner of the living room.

"Charlotte insisted," Chuck explained with a laugh. "It looks much better than it did yesterday!"

"Oh, my!" Bill replied in surprise. How it could look even worse than it did was beyond him.

"My tree!" Charlotte announced again proudly and walked over to stroke one of its soft, but scraggly little branches. "My pretty tree!"

For the rest of the morning everyone opened presents and laughed at Charlotte's absolute joy of the event. Blair began cooking just after lunch and soon the little cottage was overcome with the rich smells of baking and cooked goose.

The Bass family showed up soon after and everyone except Chuck seemed happy to be together again. He and Bill finally decided to take Eric and Serena out around the property and give them rides on the ATV and Bill's snow mobile when Charlotte went down for her nap. Dinner was only slightly awkward around the tightly packed table, but the food was delicious and Charlotte kept the family entertained.

After dinner, Lily and Bart called Chuck and Blair aside. He handed Blair over a large envelope. "This belongs to you and your family," he said. "And we feel it rightfully should stay in your family for as long as you want it."

Chuck frowned at his father as Blair opened the envelope she'd been handed. "It's the deed to the cottage," she whispered, blinking back tears.

"It's lovely here," Lily said as she stepped in to hug Blair.

Blair hugged Lily back and then looked up at Bart. "Thank-you," she managed through her tears.

Bart grunted a little, not certain what to say, and he finally just nodded instead.

Chuck wrapped his arm around his wife's waist and squeezed her a little. It was supposed to be her cottage all along, he thought bitterly, remembering how the man had taken their home away from them. He smiled at Lily but inside he fought not to lose his temper at his father. He wanted desperately to explode on the man, but he chose not to get into it with Bart, knowing it would ruin the remainder of the day. For now, Blair was overjoyed at getting back what had rightfully always belonged to her. And if Bart thought he'd forgive him for all that he'd done to them, Chuck thought, the man was sorely mistaken.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

**A/N: **I deeply apologize for such a late post on this story. I have had a busy couple of months and must admit I am struggling to finish. That being said, I need to reassure you that I will not abandon it and will finish it soon. The next chapter will likely be the last.

On another note, I am totally freaking out over the final episode, which airs on Monday. I am so sad and am in denial that it is ending. I pray for the ending we all want, but I am concerned after seeing a few promos. Let me know what you're thinking?


	27. Chapter 27 and Epilogue

**Chapter 27**

After returning from their wonderful holiday at the cottage, the months seemed to fly by for the young Bass family. Blair finished her exams and was pleased to have earned the rest of the credits she needed to graduate. She had the option of staying home or of continuing on at Constance as a tutor or an educational assistant. She opted to stay on in the mornings to help out in a couple of math classes and work with Ms. Rowbury in the Junior Fashion class. Besides, she was now the official Queen of Constance and had other duties to preform as well as minions to rule.

Things weren't so simple for Chuck. The boy was soon in full panic mode, trying to finish earning enough credits so he could graduate with his wife by the end of the school year. On top of his very full course load, he worked on two quick paced correspondence courses which were due in the spring and then had another two to complete before the end of June.

He had always been appreciative of Blair's academic brilliance, but now appreciated it even more than ever. Without his wife's support and optimistic attitude, Chuck doubted that he'd have the patience to finish his classes and graduate. But Blair remained his rock and helped encourage and tutor him every night after their daughter had gone to bed, knowing it was important for him to get finished.

She never minded helping her husband. In fact, helping Chuck keep focused took her mind away from the impending court case. After the preliminary hearing in the early spring where all of Hartwick's frozen stock and assets from her father's former company were immediately ordered by the judge and then transferred into Blair's account. But even though the money issue was nearly resolved, the rest of the case would prove brutal for Blair. Hartwick was going to be tried for blackmail, embezzlement, and a few other charges, and it was bound to get ugly.

The entire thing was breaking Blair's heart. She needed to be busy, so helping out at school, looking after Charlotte, and supporting Chuck were all welcome tasks for her. In addition she also began to gather research on everything she could about the Waldorf Designs company that had once belonged to her mother.

Blair was learning how poor economic times had initially lowered the company's value and then once sold, it had continued to plunder in clientele and value. Now it existed as nothing more than a common New Jersey dress shop and overpriced second hand dress store that was struggling to keep afloat.

After speaking with her financial advisors Blair was assured that if purchased anonymously, the company as well (as the rights to the Waldorf name), could all be purchased for a reasonable price. And that was what Blair had set her mind on doing. But if the current owners knew it was Eleanor's daughter who intended on buying the run-down little shop, Blair would likely have to pay far more than it was currently worth. And as she also wanted the rights to the Waldorf name included in the sale, she would have to remain anonymous until the deal was done, knowing that her personal interest in the place would spike the price.

This is where Ms. Rowbury proved invaluable to Blair. Wanting nothing more than to see Waldorf Designs restored to its former glory, the woman was keen on assisting Blair! By the beginning of March she had already had a few meeting with the shop's current owners to look at their company. The owners found the large Fashion Studies teacher very eager, but completely ignorant of the business world and figured that the woman would likely lose everything within six months. But they didn't care. From their perspective the offer on the table was a reasonable one, despite the poor profits they'd been turning out for the last few years. Had they known that the woman was working for Blair Waldorf/Bass, they'd have demanded a fortune for it.

Overall, it was that easy. By spring, Blair had purchased the company and immediately sifted through the acquired stock, taking the few secondhand Waldorf originals out and boxing the rest of the dresses and gowns up for donations to an organization that helped underprivileged students get dresses for their graduation ceremonies and proms. In the few hours that were hers each day, Blair now poured over Eleanor's designs, computer disks and samples, making notes and comments, scanning designs, attaching swaths of fabric and entering everything she possibly could into a data bank on her computer.

When spring break came, Blair and Chuck sadly decided not to return to the cottage up north for their holiday, knowing their time needed to be spent closer to home instead. Chuck had two new correspondence classes to get ahead in and Blair needed to find warehouse space and some people to work for her.

Over the break, Blair began to sift through all of Eleanor's remaining gowns and dresses, altering a few and refreshing the rest. From both her and her mother's sketches (that were also being added to the data bank), she began to design patterns for some new stock, which she hoped to have ready in late summer for the fall. Some of her new hires would include seamstresses of the highest caliber as well as some new models. She had also contracted with her Fashion Studies teacher to become the new manager for the newly re-established, Waldorf Designs.

Besides Ms. Rowbury, her husband, her new hires and her financial planners, nobody knew that Blair was about to launch Waldorf Designs again. New employees were sworn to secrecy with severe consequences promised for anyone with loose lips. This was because until she had a new fall fashion line underway, Blair did not want the press involved at this time. Once they figured out what she was doing, all hell in the fashion industry would likely result and the best time for that to happen was just prior to a new season. If all went well, Blair hoped to have enough backing and support to participate in New York's Fashion Week the following winter. She suspected that Bart Bass knew what she was doing, but fortunately, the man had kept his mouth closed and seemed to be keeping his distance.

In the meantime, Ms. Rowbury, with the prior experience working directly with the late Eleanor Waldorf herself, would be Blair's go between and would be the one to acquire cloth samples and the like for production to begin. The woman was proving to be a real asset, Blair thought as she was ripped away at the seams out of an older, second hand gown whose bones were still good, but needed freshening up.

Over the spring holiday both Chuck and Blair put their noses to the grindstone. Blair helped Chuck with his schoolwork on occasion, but he was forging ahead mostly on his own now, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel as graduation approached. Blair stitched and made swatches, sketched, and entered data, all while overseeing the renovations on the warehouse they'd rented and the beginning work of her team.

Once school resumed Blair spent alternate mornings at Constance and then every afternoon in her office or at the warehouse. By June she had her new fall line planned out and the sewing of the new gowns went on full speed ahead. She slowed down only long enough for her and Chuck to prepare for their graduation ceremony.

Charlotte was blossoming under Raison and Dorota's loving care when her parents were so busy. She was now chattering on a mile a minute and was a constant source of delight to everyone around her. Her intelligence and love for books indicated that she would be as studious as her mother, yet her mischievous side hinted that she might be a bit of a handful too, just like her father had been.

"Daddieeeee," the little girl squealed with delight as Chuck twirled her around before the family climbed in the limo to go to their graduation ceremony.

"Mr. Chuck, you going to make Miss Charlotte sick with all this spinning!" Dorota exclaimed as she gently reached to take the child out of Chuck's arms and return her to Raison.

Charlotte beamed up at her father as Raison hurriedly patted down a few wayward curls and the ruffles of the lovely dress that matched her mother's gown.

Chuck laughed at the devilish gleam in Charlotte's eye and then gasped and stood agog as he watched his wife descend the stairs in a most astonishingly beautiful gown that Blair had designed and sewn herself. Her hair was neatly curled and pulled back loosely with diamond-encrusted clips. "You look amazing!" he cooed as he kissed her lightly on the cheek when she came to stand beside him.

"Dress is beautiful, Mrs. Blair," the housekeeper acknowledged as she returned Charlotte back over to her parents. "As is Miss Charlotte's"

"My dress is pretty!" Charlotte announced and proudly twirled to show everyone. "Just like mommy's"

Chuck reached down to lift the child into her car seat. "Both my girls are beautiful," he stated and he kissed her soundly on the forehead once she was buckled down. He turned to look at his wife. "Are you ready?" he asked her as he held out his hand to help her in.

Blair looked at Chuck and she nodded. She knew Lily and Bart had already left their penthouse to escort Serena to Grad. They would meet them there. But she was struggling with the realization of knowing that high school was over. Sure there would be careers and college for them both, but this stage of her life was now complete. And even though she knew Lily and Bart supported her and Chuck, it still saddened her horribly knowing that her own parents wouldn't be there to watch her walk the stage to accept the diploma she had worked so hard at getting. She slipped into her seat and waited for Chuck to join her in the car.

After the celebratory dinner was finished, Chuck's parents bundled Charlotte up, promising to take her home for Raison to put to bed. Chuck and Blair spent the evening with friends, enjoying their time dancing and laughing and just being teens. It was an experience Blair had hardly had and would fondly remember in times later in her life.

Then at the end of the evening and with Serena at her side, Blair crowned the next year's queen of Constance, a beautiful girl who had proven herself to be faithful, hardworking and the most worthy of the title. Most of the minions supported Blair's choice, but a few grumbled and bitched until they finally just isolated themselves away from the rest of the students. These would go on to brood and scheme to dethrone the new queen come the fall, once classes at Constance resumed for another year.

But that would be of little concern to Blair. If the reactions to her gown (and to Charlotte's matching one) were any indication to how well her mother's company was going to do, then she would be too busy to even think of the school she had become so incredibly fond of.

After her appearance at grad, orders for dresses soon came pouring in and Blair fitted several of her classmates and then even some of their mothers in gowns she designed. There was a big charity event coming up and the timing was perfect for these dresses to come out and the company to become known. In these first orders she proudly stitched in the Waldorf Original Design labels by hand herself, tearing up with every one completed.

"Your parents would be so proud of you," Chuck reassured her as kissed away the tears she shed and wrapped her in his arms.

Blair nodded quietly and relaxed into his hug. She knew he was right. It had been a struggle to get things up and running, and an even bigger one to keep the news of the resurfacing of the company quiet, but she had done it. And she knew that, if they were a hit at this charity event, then things were likely going to get really crazy, really fast.

The young family took a couple of weeks that summer to spend quiet, family time back up at the cottage, knowing this would likely be the only peace they'd have for awhile. Blair knew she'd likely be extremely busy this next year with the company and with court, and Chuck was also going to be busy as he would begin taking some business classes while working part time at Bass Industries for his father. They both needed to make the most of their time together before the next stage of their life kicked in.

Charlotte was in her glory at the cottage, squealing with delight as she discovered trees and worms and toads and bumblebees and clams and starfish and everything else that comes with playing outdoors in a good clean environment. Chuck and Blair had more fun just watching their daughter at play than anything, the child loved getting dirty and was constantly on the go. They also got to see their good friend Bill several times and before they knew it, it was time to go home.

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

"Oh Blair, it's simply gorgeous!" Lily exclaimed as she examined herself in the mirror. The gown designed for her certainly was exquisite and easily rivaled any designer the woman had used in years. "You certainly inherited your mother's talent!" she commented as she hugged her daughter-in-law in appreciation.

"Beautiful!" Bart agreed as he entered the dining room and admired his wife's dress. He had been keeping tabs on Blair's company and was pleased to see that his initial assessment of her potential had not been wrong. The girl was about to make a fortune with her mother's old company, he thought proudly.

"Pretty, Nanna!" Charlotte stated enthusiastically as she walked into the Bass dining room with her parents.

Lily laughed and she leaned down to stroke the beaming child's head. "Your mama made this dress for me," she replied.

Charlotte looked back at her mother and grinned a large toothy smile. "Mamma makes me dresses, too, don't cha, Mamma?"

"Yes, Lovie, I make your dresses too," Blair laughed as she gathered Charlotte up in her arms and kissed the child on her tanned cheek.

"Your mother is very talented, Charlotte," Bart agreed as he wrapped his arm lightly around his wife's waist. "As was her mother." He looked at his daughter-in-law and winked. "This could be a big night for you," he commented neutrally.

Blair had suspected Bart was aware of what she'd been doing for months. She nodded silently, ignoring the glare her husband immediately shot at his father. There was no point in making an issue of it. By now she knew it was Bart's nature. And although his methods were often intrusive and could be hurtful, she suspected in his own way, Bart was trying to make sure the family was ok.

In truth, Bart had fought hard against his natural instincts to get involved in Blair's resurrection of her mother's company. He could have made the sale go smoother for her and just about everything else from after the shop's purchase was complete as well. But he decided to see how Blair would manage on her own with no other support besides her instincts and intelligence and the money that was returned to her from Greg Harwick under court order. Her competence in her task honestly blew him away. Bart knew her clothing line for the coming fall was exquisite and the gowns that her customers would be wearing at the event tonight would draw an incredible amount of attention. He was also sure that she had timed this all perfectly. Several women and girls would be wearing the new Waldorf Originals tonight, including his wife and stepdaughter. Blair's dress designs were at least as good as her mother's had been, the only difference being that Blair also had a talent for the teen fashion market, and by what he had seen of Charlotte's wardrobe, she could easily corner the children's fashion market as well, if she wanted. Her success, in his opinion, was a given. He was sure she'd make the papers the following day.

Bart ignored the glare he saw Chuck shoot him and smiled as Serena walked into the room with her date, the Brooklyn boy he completely disapproved of. His stepdaughter's gown was another one of Bair's creations and was gorgeous! He beamed back at Blair and nodded once in approval.

"I can't believe you made this for me," Serena purred as she twirled around to show off her dress. "It's just so lovely!"

"Well, I'm pleased that you like it, S. And I'm so glad it fits," Blair replied with a smile to her sister-in-law. "But I think we really should get going. I don't want to be late tonight." She knew how important this night was going to be for her mother's company and all of the work she'd been doing this year.

"I agree. I believe the limo is waiting for us downstairs," Bart concurred. He knew how important the night was going to be for his daughter-in-law. And amusingly so, he was near giddy at the prospect of seeing the entertainment section of tomorrow's paper and read of Blair's resurrection of her mother's company.

And just as Bart had predicted, word of the talented young woman brilliant designs was indeed plastered all over page six the following morning after the successful charity event. Her dresses had been admired and the fortunate owners of the Waldorf Originals were the envy of most every other woman present. And when Blair tried to leave the building the following morning to go to her warehouse, she found herself immediately swarmed by the paparazzi, begging for an interview.

"Give them an interview," Bard advised as he suddenly appeared next to her side. "This is the time get your and your mother's name out there, to get the boost your company is going to need to succeed."

Blair was honestly terrified of the mass of media personnel in front of her, but knew her father-in-law was right. "You're right," she replied with a shy grin to Bart and then a brighter smile to the crowd. "This was what I've been preparing for all year." And so she began to answer their questions, announcing officially that her late mother's company, Waldorf Designs, was back in business.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

The next few months seemed to fly by in a blur. As her business seemed to explode overnight, Blair worked on getting her fall line out as the orders began to pour in faster then she could fathom. More workers and models were hired to fill the demands. Ms. Rowbury managed the warehouse with an iron fist and the results were immediate and outstanding. Chuck began his part time classes at Columbia and worked part time at Bass Industries, learning the ropes of his father's business. Charlotte toddled and got into just about everything she could, proving she had more Bass in her than they'd have believed previously.

And although the stress of everything going on would have proven too much for some families to handle, for Chuck and Blair it seemed to pull their little family even closer together. Each held interest in the other's endeavors and supported their partner however they could. Charlotte had plenty of adult attention between her parents, Raison, Dorota, her grandparents, and a doting Auntie Serena and Uncle Eric. She blossomed over the autumn into an enchanting little creature that captured the hearts of everyone who knew and met her.

The only ripple in the works that fall was the week of the court case in which Blair had to testify against Greg Hartwick. But because she was a witness, Blair was not allowed in the courtroom except to testify about whatever she could remember about her father and Greg's working relationship and the blackmail itself. And because she had been so young, there wasn't much about it that Blair could remember, except for a few heartbreaking incidents. Fortunately for her, the lawyers had done their jobs well enough and the evidence was put forward against the man was sufficient enough that Greg was sentenced to spend twenty years in a prison out of state. It wasn't enough for what he'd done to the Waldorf family, but at least the story was out and the matter was finally coming to a closure in Blair's mind.

Interestingly enough, the media coverage from the court case served to bring even more attention to Blair and therefore to Waldorf Designs, which also served to increase the already booming business. And although Blair had grieved afresh over the situation and her loss as each story emerged in the papers and on the news, her family's support and Waldorf Designs' success helped alleviate some of the pain and helped her move on.

When she was invited to participate in the upcoming Fashion Week for February, Blair knew her mother's company was likely going to be restored to its full former glory. It was everything she could have hoped for and more.

"Your mother would have been so proud of you," Chuck beamed when he saw the program sheet for the fashion festivities.

Blair nodded sadly. The success of Waldorf Fashions was bittersweet, in her opinion. She knew there would be more interviews and with those interviews there would be questions, questions she wasn't comfortable in discussing with complete strangers to be shared with the public, not so soon after the court case had ended.

"You'll be amazing," he reassured her as her as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her next to him.

"It's more than I could have ever dreamed it would become," she replied quietly as she rested her head on his shoulder. She'd been thinking a lot about the company these days; how well it was doing and what lay in store for Waldorf Designs for the future. "If I really think about it, it's actually quite overwhelming," she admitted.

"It's all you, Blair," he cooed as he turned to brush his lips against the side of her head. "You're amazing."

She pulled away from her husband for a moment and looked at him in disbelief. She shook her head. "No, Chuck. I couldn't have done any of this without you…. From the moment I met you, you made my life better. You gave me the strength to go on when I had nothing left to go on for. I…., I just love you so much," she responded as the tears began to roll over her cheeks. "You gave me a family again. You have no idea how much that means to me. When I met you, I had nothing. I had nobody…, no family, no home…., nothing! And then you became the best friend I could have ever have asked for…. You loved me for who I was, despite the fact that I had nothing, and could give you nothing in return."

He looked at her and shook his head, puzzled by her words, and then he pulled her in for a light kiss and held her back in his arms again. "Are you kidding?" he asked her. "You gave me everything! In fact, I'm pretty sure you saved my life, Blair….., in every way one can be saved," he admitted. "Before I met you I was on my way to having an addiction problem, becoming a high-school drop out, and more likely than not, ending up a criminal. My life consisted of alcohol, drugs, cheap women, stealing cars and doing anything else I could do to piss off my father! I don't know how you did it, but you captured my heart and made me want to be a better person. Maybe it was because you did have nothing and yet struggled so hard to better yourself even more than you already were…. But I swear, you are the only reason that I am here and that I am the man I am today. That day I chose to cut classes and hang out at the zoo was the best decision I ever made in my life! You are more than just my friend! You are my everything, Blair…., my everything! And if given the opportunity to do it over again, there isn't anything I would do differently if it means that I couldn't be here with you today! You and Charlotte are my life!"

It was about then that the nearly two-year old Charlotte ran down the hall screaming with complete glee as Dorota and Raison chased after the little beast. Naked as nature intended save for a few soap bubbles that stuck to her little bottom and in her wildly curly hair, the child had mischievously escaped out of the bath when Raison went to get her a clean nightgown. "Mommy, Daddy!" she squealed as she eyed her parents and quickly squeezed in between their legs to try and hide from her pursuers.

Blair looked up at Chuck and she giggled as she brushed the tears out of her eyes. "I think we need to talk about having another baby in the near future," she said coyly.

Chuck looked at his wife with love, nodded and grinned. "We really did make a beautiful baby, didn't we?" he admitted and he captured his wife's lips against his.

"We certainly did."

**}i{ }i{ }i{**

**Prologue**

**5+ years later…**

Blair laid the bouquet of flowers at the foot of the glossy new head stone and wiped the tears out of her eyes. It was always sad to visit the grave sight that marked where her parents had been laid to rest.

"I think it was a good idea to have them brought here and placed together," Chuck acknowledged as he came to stand beside his heavily pregnant wife. He gently placed an arm across her shoulders.

Blair nodded and turned to smile sadly at her husband. "Despite everything that happened to them, they really did love each other. And New York was where they had been their happiest," she admitted.

"And now you can come and see them whenever you want to," Chuck added as he leaned forward and kissed her on her temple.

Blair nodded again and then grunted lightly as the child within her belly suddenly rolled over. She placed her hands on her stomach and gently caressed it.

"She's really active today," Chuck commented as he placed a hand beside one of his wife's. He grinned when he felt the sharp little kick that made his wife grunt again.

Blair was tired. She'd been working long hours getting the new fall line ready, right up until their holiday at their newly renovated cottage a month ago. There, she'd completed her final online course for the business degree she'd begun after the first year of Waldorf Designs' success. Now she was more than happy to take the next few months off on a maternity leave, knowing that Waldorf Designs was in good hands under Ms. Rowbury's ministrations. "I think she knows we're not at the cottage any more, Chuck. She's been constantly flipping over like this ever since we got back to the city,"

Blair turned her head to search for her other daughter. It was time they were leaving. When she spotted the masses of ebony curls up in the branches of a tree not too far away, she motioned to Chuck. "They're up in the trees."

Chuck laughed when he turned around and spotted his children. Their kids were so active and loved anything about nature. Even in the cemetery they had managed to find a small grove of trees to climb and play in. He began to make his way over, knowing the boys would likely need his help getting back down. "Charlotte!" he called. "It's time for you to climb down from there. We need to get home before Aunt Serena and Uncle Dan come over with their new baby."

"I think Henry and Harry need help again, Daddy," Charlotte replied as she expertly scurried down to a lower branch and then easily jumped the remaining distance into the soft grass.

Chuck laughed as he watched his daughter pick herself up and brush her hands off on her dirty jeans. Despite the beautiful dresses she was often clad in, he couldn't believe what a tomboy their daughter had become.

Then he looked up at his identical twin sons and smirked. Three years younger than their nearly eight year old old sister, the boys adored Charlotte and always strived to follow and copy everything she did. It was a practice that they'd continue right into their adult years. But for now, as Charlotte suggested, the two weren't quite sure how to make their way down the tree and obviously needed Chuck to coax them back to the ground.

Blair smiled as she watched the men in her life working together. Even now as the CEO of Bass Industries, Chuck had retained his boyish sense of adventure and enthusiasm. He was an amazing father to their children. And her sons were the spitting image of Chuck, with his devilish spirit to boot. At the age of five, people could already tell the Bass boys were going to be a handful, except with the strong family support they had, the twins would find far more positive outlets for their energy as they grew up, than their father had.

Once the twins were out of the branches and Blair had wiped her brood down with the handiwipes their chauffer kept on hand for such occasions, the Bass family climbed into the limo to make their way over to Lily and Bart's penthouse. This afternoon they would meet Serena and Dan's daughter, the newest member of their expanding family.

Blair rested her head on Chuck's shoulder and closed her eyes for a moment as their unborn child turned inside of her once again. She sighed with pleasure and snuggled even closer to her husband.

Chuck took her hand and his and brought it up to his mouth for a kiss. "You ok, Mrs. Bass?" he asked as he squeezed her hand lightly.

Blair grinned and nodded slightly. "I couldn't be happier," she admitted as she squeezed his hand back.

**}i{ }i{ }i{ **

FIN

**A/N:** I tried to tie up the ends on this story and hope it wasn't too rushed for you. I am heading in for surgery and wanted to make sure this story got completed before I go. Please leave a final comment. I hope you have enjoyed reading my version of this story.

Jennifer.


End file.
